Insert Game Title Here: Gotta Cheer 'em All
by FerreTrip
Summary: I apologize, but I have moved this story to Game X-overs. I have provided a BETTER! link in the only chapter here, and will say if this has been updated or not. Update: Final Chappies are up, chaps! MISSION COMPLETE!
1. Link, Sorta

Since, apparantly, is letting us see more characters, here's the link (with some improv) to the fic (remove spaces in the bracketed section, please) :

[w w w . f a n f i c t i o n].net/s/3744567/1/Insert_Game_Title_Here_Gotta_Cheer_em_All


	2. Chapter 28 COMMENT ON REAL PLZ!

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(28)_*_*_( ) (One) (Last) (Time)

-NOTE: Be prepared to flip back to old chapters for character recollections.-

SLAM! "I'm home!"

"Said Ms. Obvious."

"You're no fun." Lock's little sister dashed right to the television, brow sweaty and hair sticking from biking home. It was uncomfortably hot and dry, even for summer. In fact, it hadn't rained at all in their world since the episode before No Sleep Tonight. She plopped her helmet on the middle couch cushion next to her as she jumped, turned, and landed on her butt at the end while grabbing the remote. She turned it on and saw Cartoon Network was still there, to her relief. Tom and Jerry were currently performing their good old antics.

Her mom sighed, looking over with a sad smile from across the breakfast bar. She was drying a dish in her hand. "Milly, it's not time yet, you know that," she said a little annoyedly (but not meanly--you know how parents are). "Turn it off, please...I don't want to deal with that right now."

Milly looked up at her with pouty eyes. "But you and I BOTH know that anything could happen," she defended. "Who knows? Maybe it'll come on. It IS live."

"I TOLD you--his boss told me that reality travels differently than the Pokémon show's world," their mother objected, putting the plate away and turning to the sink, television not visible to her from behind the wall. "We see whatever is happening to your brother in their real time each time a new episode comes on." She picked up a wet plate and rubbed her rag across it.

"But..." Milly sighed and picked up the remote again, letting it tilt back and forth on her finger as she gently played with it. "...Not every episode happens the same amount of time afterwards...which means he could be getting hurt right now..." she muttered.

"I'm more worried than you are, Milly," her mother said a bit gentler, frowning slightly, putting away the dish. "It's not easy seeing your son get possessed, somehow, and act like a completely different person."

Milly sighed as the cartoon ended. "...Will he be okay, Mom?" she asked.

Her mother didn't answer, picking up the last dish and starting to let her cloth leech away the moisture on it.

Milly frowned and looked at the television as another Tom and Jerry was announced for next--after the commercial. "...What about...Pokémon...?" she asked.

Her mother sighed, pausing the drying for a moment. "...I don't know. It's a show. A frighteningly real show, but...I don't know," she answered. "Maybe...it'll all be reset to before this mess." She resumed her work.

"...I hope so," Milly agreed, nodding. Then, the clock chimed. 3:30 P.M., on the dot. "...I'll be back down in three--" "hours" is how she wanted to finish, pointing the remote with finger on the power button, but when something that wasn't Tom and Jerry came on, she stopped dead, eyes wide. "...Huh?" she instead said, quite loudly. She then gasped. "MOM!"

Her mother jumped at the sound, dropping the plate. She squeaked, dove, and started juggling the stoneware before, making her saving throw, catching it. She sighed in relief and put it away before, grumbling, stomping over to shout at her daughter, hands on hips. "WHAT?!" she asked. But she only had to follow Milly's pointing finger to the screen to locate her answer.

- -

Kioshi's foot twitched about, fidgeting. He was sitting with one leg crossed over another, occupying an end of the sofa in the Pokémon Center. Along with him were the others from their recently-extended group, each doing different things while they waited. Outside the windows were lights and streamers. Kioshi's face was in a frown, arms crossed.

Travis grunted and stretched his arms, sitting in a window seat, then dropped them while turning to look out. "Who'da thunk it?" he asked. "The tournament's traditionally the start of a festival that's been going on for ages, celebrating the bond between man and 'mon." He flicked his tail--he'd been in wolf form for the last couple of hours, probably; it was hard to tell for the audience. Nurse Joy was probably used to it by now. She was the only one to worry about right now, since the only people in the lobby were the cheer squads and their pokémon friends.

"Yeah," nodded a corner-sitting Zante, smiling and skritching a spot on a purring Vesp's head while she wrapped about his ample middle. "It's supposed to go on all night tonight, ending with a special silly-and-serious award ceremony for each of the finalists in the tournament, which should be happening soon." He looked up at a wall clock. It displayed 11:00. "...Yeah, about an hour away."

Kioshi growled and stamped his foot down, making everyone look at him. "So of course Ash is still out, being a finalist in the tournament," he said tartly. "So we've been sitting here for over four hours for nothing!" He stood up and strode to the door.

"Where're you going, Kioshi?" asked Suzu, wiping her visible eye. She had just woken up, as had all the other humans besides Kioshi.

"I'm going out to find the Agents and ask our question, already," Kioshi answered over his shoulder before opening the door and entering the humid summer night.

The others raised their eyebrows (Vesp was still purring in bliss, so no eyeridge-raise from her) at this before Suzu and Hibiki scrambled to get up and follow him. "W-Wait, Kioshi!! You know that it could be dangerous!" Hibiki called.

"So you guys stay here," instructed Suzu, turning and running almost entirely backwards. She spoke to Dragonair, Teddiursa, and Croconaw, who were all awake, now, and ready to follow their friends. She, then her fellow Bluendan member, exited the Center.

Frank turned his head from this, shrugging. "We'll hold down the fort, I guess," he yawned. He pulled down his hat over his eyes and resumed sleeping on a love seat.

"Should we...?" asked Dorian, who was sitting across from Travis at the table they were in. He'd been sleeping with his head on the surface, glasses comically askew.

Travis shook his head. "Not yet," he said. "Besides, I don't think people would react well to me," he added, grinning sheepishly and ending up grinning wolfishly while he motioned to himself.

Being groggy made Dorian's half-eyeing easier than normal. "Just change back. It's a NEW moon out, so why are you even...?" he grumbled flatly. Travis gave his best J. Talbain taunt (smiling mischievously and waggling a finger) and Dorian emitted a chuckle.

"You never know," he said. He dropped the smile and looked out at the busy streets. "...You never know..."

-

Noise! Laughing. Singing. Happy conversation. I wanted to rip my eardrums out and stomp on them. But that would have to come AFTER I was finished kicking everyone's butts. I smirked and slapped down my hand. "ROYAL FLUSH!" I roared, grinning.

Meyers and Hunter groaned and tossed their hands in the air, cards flying away. ""Fold,"" they submitted, rolling their heads and eyes to opposite sides.

"Awright, gimmie," I said, reaching for the small pile of Pokédollar coins we were gambling with. "My prize for my fantastic luck!" I grinned wider and shoved it all into my wallet, which, to my chagrin, wouldn't close afterwards. I lifted it up and held it, looking at it. "Huh."

"Guess ya need a change purse, huh?" joked Hunter, chuckling and resting an arm on the table.

I growled and whipped my head at him. "Guys don't carry purses!" I spat. "What, you think I'm a fruit or something?!"

"No, we think you're a nut," Meyers answered from under the table. He was picking up the cards before they blew away. (See, we were playing at a café and were sitting around one of the outdoor tables.)

I was about to rebuke him when I decided not to waste my energy. I shook my head and looked around. "When can we go back to the Center?" I asked, annoyed.

"After they do this awards show thing," replied Meyers, coming back up and gathering up the rest of the cards into a deck. Tunk-tunk went the slips of lightly laminated paper as he put them together. "Till then, I think it's time to stop. The cameras might be on and the Agency'll be held for promoting gambling in front of kids," he advised. "Remember, we're in the place where they changed 'gambler' to 'gamer'."

"You just don't wanna lose the rest of your dough," I taunted, smirking smugly and pointing at him. I put my wallet into my backpack beside me. I groaned and leaned back in my chair, hands behind my head. "This is BORRR-iiiing," I sang-complained.

"You're acting like a KIII-iiiid," Hunter imitated, frowning. "AND, you said that it'd be fun to go to a huge party like this."

"Festival, really," corrected Brock as he came over. He smiled and leaned on the railing separating our table from the brick mosiac streets. "You guys doing alright?" he asked.

"I know I am!" I crowed, grin on my face.

"He's been cleaning us out," Meyers explained, thumbing to me. "I never knew he'd be so good at poker."

"Poker? For actual money?" Brock asked, surprised and raising his eyebrows. "You're not supposed to GAMBLE, are you?"

This got me steaming. Chair legs hitting the ground loudly, I leaned forwards before getting up and shouting, "QUIT BEIN' A WUSS!!" right in Brock's face. "I'm SICK of everyone's goody-two-shoes attitude around here!" I motioned with my arms around the crowd. "I mean, look! Everyone's SOBER! Not a pickpocket in sight! And not a single soul doing something stupid! Do you guys even know what a party IS?!" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Brock with my hands on my hips.

Brock grimaced and backed up a bit. "Festival," he corrected again. "And, yeah, we do, but this event is for all ages, so we have to keep it calm," he added. "If it were just adults, there'd be the stuff you're talking about...though..." He turned around and looked about. "...Alright, that last thing you said is starting to bug me, thanks," he admitted, and I barked a laugh.

"There ANY place on this island where people PARTY?" I asked, leaning on the railing.

Brock shrugged. "I dunno," he said as if he'd just realized his ignorance. He sat against the bars and whipped out his handy-dandy guide book. He flipped through it, looking at the section about interesting annual events at towns. He smiled as he stopped at one. "Actually, there's this place called Nightsky City a ways away," he said, pointing to the article. He smirked as he turned to me. "If you're still with us that long, we should just be able to catch it. It's at the end of the month and apparantly is pretty huge. They've got...refreshments, we'll say, though they make sure nobody gets too wet."

I grumbled. "Wussies, all-a yehs," I growled.

"At least they serve some," Brock pointed out, frowning and closing the book. "Lock, you're being really ornery. What's up?"

I looked sideways at him. "You DON'T want to start," I warned him.

-

Kioshi looked around, weaving in and out of the people around. It looked like everyone in the coloseum was out there, drinking all kinds of soda, playing carnival games at booths, or talking at a café he passed by. He didn't bother to ask anyone if they'd seen anyone in black suits--that'd only get him some looks. He stood in the center of a plaza, gripping his hair with his gloved hands. The night was hot and humid, and instead of getting cooler, it was only getting warmer--maybe from all the body heat. "Grrrr, this is getting annoying!" he growled. "Something's throwing me off!" He shook his head and turned around a little too sharply. As a result, he crashed right into a young man. "Oof!"

"Waagh!"

Both stumbled back, then anger-veined, took a fist-raised scolding pose, and yelled, ""WATCH WHERE YER GOIN'!"" before Kioshi raised his eyebrows, going, "Huh?!" He stood entirely as he beheld who he'd bumped into. "...Are you Satoshi?" he asked, fighting to keep his slight awe down.

The boy nodded. "Yeah," he answered, appearing unfazed that he was called by a different name. "I'm Ash, that's right." He smirked, crossing his arms. "You see me in the finals?" he asked.

Kioshi smiled and bowed. "Forgive me. I shouldn't have turned so fast," he apologized. He came up again. "I'm looking for the Elite Beat Agents, and I heard they were with you," he said. "It's important I ask them something. You know where they are?"

Ash blinked at this. "Huh? The Agents?" he repeated. "Uh..." He looked left, then right, finding no familiar faces in the crowd. He gave a sheepish smile and shrug. "Sorry, but we separated a while ago. They're somewhere around town, though," he answered.

Kioshi sighed, drooping. His ponytail fell and hung from the left side of his neck. "Thank you, anyway, Satoshi," he said, giving a small smile. He raised a hand. "See you in fourty-five minutes, I guess!"

Ash chuckled and held a hand up as well, smiling. "Yeah, see ya," he said, turning and disappearing in the crowd.

At this time, Suzu and Hibiki found him. "Kioshi!" Suzu called, and Kioshi turned to see his partners. "Couldn't you wait for us?" she asked.

"Sorry, but I'm feeling a little on-edge," he alibied, grimacing.

"That's because you've been staying up all night," Hibiki reasoned, smirking.

"No, it's because we're all on-edge," Suzu corrected, giving a curt nod. "Don't pretend you can't feel it. That feeling in the pit of your chest...where we sense..." She put a hand on her bosom.

Kioshi did the same to his. With a frown, he nodded. "Dread," he identified. "Supernaturally strong dread."

"I've got our salt," Hibiki said, producing three shakers in one hand, each being held between two fingers.

Kioshi and Suzu were about to anime fall when they remembered. "Oh, for the demons," Suzu said. "Yeah." She took one and Kioshi took one. "Just in case."

"Well, let's go," Kioshi said, turning around and facing the crowd again.

"But we can't feel their fires!" protested Hibiki. "How can we find them in this mess?"

"The old-fashioned way," Suzu sighed. "It must be related to the dread--it must be blocking him."

"Where's a good place to start, you think, then?" asked Hibiki.

A loud group of shouts caused their heads to turn left. They saw three men in black suits and sunglasses at a milk jug toss game, with the black one pumping his fist in victory, the blonde clapping, and the lanyard-wearer crossing his arms and lifting a nostril. They saw a pair of fiery eyes floating behind him. "There would be good," Kioshi answered, and they dashed over.

-

"Aww, YEAAH, man!" Hunter danced in victory a little as the man operating the game reset the jugs. "PERFECT shot! Gimmie dat plushie!" he pointed, indicating a life-sized miltank plushie.

I raised my nostril further up. "You're a fan of fat cows?" I asked, disgust in my voice.

Hunter scowled over his shoulder at me. "Watch yo' mouth, dawg," he warned. "We ain't got no need of no double entendres, yannow. Annis is fo' a friend at school," he added, turning to take the plushie with a smile. "She likes miltank, for some reason. I'm a scizor guy, myself." He looked back at us while he added this part, hugging the stuffie to him. It was so big, only his dorky-ass star-shaped shades and above were availible to show of his face, eyes bracketed between the pink cow's horns. He then turned to our left to walk away and let Meyers play next. When he did, he stopped, eyebrows raising as he saw something. "HEL-lo."

"Eh?" I followed his gaze and saw three adolescents running at us. The one in front was in a black outfit that I recognized as a Japanese cheering outfit--part of my orientation for this wretched job--and the ones behind him wore what looked like military dress coats, complete with fancy coat of arms with laurels. "What on...?" I grumbled as they skidded to a halt.

"Agents!" the black-wearing one called as he skidded. While he slowed, his ponytail, which was black with a streak of red for a Shadow-inspired accent--nerd--whipped forth around the left side of his neck. He flicked it back after coming to a halt, wiping his bangs from his eyes as he did so. "Kuso, it's hot out," he muttered.

"'K'so'?" I repeated.

"'Kuso'," corrected Meyers, who was absently pushing Hunter away with one hand while giving his money to the man with the other, yet keeping his eyes on the new folks. "It's a Japanese word expressing a bad mood, like 'darn'."

'Then why didn't he just SAY 'darn'?!' I roared in my head, glaring. I didn't like these guys already. "Who are you and why do you know who we are?" I asked with an edge.

The three didn't seem fazed, though the black-haired one grimaced a bit. "We're the Ouendan," he answered. "I'm Kioshi. These are my backups, Hibiki and Suzu," he introduced, pointing first to the slicked white-haired guy and then the fancy-hairstyled blonde girl at their names, then crossing his arms. The two were standing with their arms behind their backs, at ease.

""Good evening,"" they greeted in unison.

I gritted my teeth and bared them in a grimace of my own. "Unison lines are REALLY getting to me," I...gah, is there even a synonym for "growled" at ALL? (...I mean it, is there?)

Kioshi didn't seem to hear me. "We've been told about you by our own leader through...well, I don't quite know EXACTLY how, but not by phone, but he told me about you guys, and we've got to ask you something important," he continued.

"Then ASK, already!" I barked, tapping my foot. "You're wasting my time, here!" Indeed, they were: It was my turn to try the game. Meyers had failed pretty badly. I made a note to make fun of him after I was finished.

Kioshi nodded. "Right. Do you know a way back home?" he asked.

"Home?" I raised an eyebrow. "What, I'm sorry, I never got the memo it was my turn to watch some Jap weirdo for his mommy today," I bit out.

"YO!"

"'EY!"

(Back home, Mom shouted my real name in the same tone of angry disgust as my backups.)

I blocked both attacks--an elbow from Hunter and a swat from Meyers. I wasn't able to counter, sadly, since I had to deal with Kioshi.

Kioshi anger-veined, and I felt a powerful energy from him. I knew what it was and knew that I wanted AWAY from him. He didn't make any other motion to signify he heard my remark. "You know the home I mean. OUR home. Yours as well as mine."

I raised my eyebrows. "You mean..." I narrowed them again. "Ah, yeah, you're from Evening Town and the Bluendan are from Morning Town back in Japan, aren't you?" I asked. "Never knew they were recruiting high school cheer squad dropouts." More protests, more blocking.

"You're the rudest American I've ever met," Suzu said in disgust, glaring. "You're not giving a good impression of your team."

I scoffed. "Really?" I asked. "I'd say I'm doing as good a job as any!" I shook my head, then decided to just answer them. "Well, sorry, bubs, but we've got nuttin'."

"We haven't gotten anything on the portal that EBA HQ is building us from our badges since Riverhelm," Meyers added. I shot him a glare, which caused him and his eyebrows to jump a bit for some reason.

"Por...oh, yeah," Hibiki said, looking up in thought. "That'd make sense. We came in through a portal, so we go out through a portal."

"We've got the thing runnin', but they need some time to work outta few kinks 'fore we can get home," Hunter described, unable to catch my glare.

"Shut it, I'm speaking to them," I said firmly. I turned back to them. "So? Go away. You asked your question."

Kioshi narrowed his eyebrows. "Well, I was just going to say that we're going to have to stick with you until the portal is ready," he said with a bit of stone, patience wearing thin (finally).

"STICK WITH US?!" I repeated, jerking back. I seethed and shouted, "If you really want to get home, then just do your Land of the Rising Sun magic and ninja vanish outta here!! You just want to stick around with all of these losers around here!" I held out my arms to express everyone around me.

Kioshi looked at Lock, sweatdropping a little. 'His fire is rising, but it's not the kind of fire we use,' he noticed. The eyes behind the Agent were glowing hotter.

I let my hands flop down into fists. "I'm SICK and TIRED of this fuckin' place! The sooner that portal gets fixed, the better. Besides, why do you want OUR portal? Shouldn't you be safe on the other side of the Pacific where I don't have to deal with you weirdos?!" I pointed my finger out. "VAMOOSE! Before I get crankier!"

Kioshi closed his eyes and shook his head. "Something's wrong with you," he said quietly. "Nobody able to be an Agent is like this by nature."

"Oh. But we all are." I said this just as quietly, a small smile curling on my lips. I scowled again quickly and roared, "GO AWAY!!"

Kioshi noticed the air shimmering around my body, then shook his head again. "Good night," he bade before turning on his heel. "Ikuze," he said to his flunkies, the word staying the same no matter who was watching where. They walked off into the crowd, happily being swallowed up by it.

I lowered my hand, letting out an angry breath through my nostrils. I turned to the man behind the booth just blinking at us and walked over, slapping down my money. "Gimmie balls," I grunted. He gave me them, looking at me, while my teammates tried to talk to me, berating me. I ignored them, though, choosing to answer with getting a bullzeye on the jug stack without knocking a single one down. Everyone blinked and backed up, the guy running the game doing so in fear, I knew, as they looked at the red-rimmed hole I'd made with the fastball. I glanced left and right at Meyers and Hunter, tossing the softball up and down in my hand.

They shut up.

-

Joy leaned on the counter while she spoke to Travis, who rested a black and grey furry arm on it and leaned on that, facing her sideways. "You can actually talk to canine pokémon?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Travis answered, nodding sadly.

"HEY!" Yena barked, and Travis and Joy laughed.

SLAM!! Joy jumped at the door almost breaking from the force Kioshi opened it with. He stepped through, looking serious like he was doing a cheer, with his friends doing the same behind him. He stopped and looked around the room, settling on Travis. "How well can you take hits?" he asked him calmly.

Travis blinked. "Uuuuh...pretty well, I guess, if I block," he replied. "Why?"

Suzu went over to Zante, who was in a chair, reading, Vesp curled up next to him on the floor. Hibiki examined a recliner. Kioshi sighed, motioning to this all.

Travis blinked again after this, then sighed, smiling. "Aroo...I think I get it," he said, and he braced himself, holding his forearms up in a crossing pose. "You sure me, though? I'm not exactly the softest thing in the world..."

Kioshi didn't care. After nodding to the others, they all set to work hammering lightning-fast punches, alternating arms, at their targets for a full ten seconds, growling and half-roaring from between gritted teeth. Abruptly, they stopped, panting slightly. Angry fire could be seen flickering around them from the tv audience and any pokémon or high-spirited humans in the immediate audience.

Travis turned his arms to him and raised his eyebrows. "I swear, I can see bruises beneath my fur," he said facetiously. "Seriously, OW." He massaged them, grimacing slightly.

"Lemme see," Joy said, holding a hand out and accepting the forearms to examine. Kioshi looked at the others.

Zante blinked as, slowly, the pit that had reached to his tensed stomach muscles popped back out, the midway-to-blubber-density fat pushing the belly back into shape. "And I thought Vesp left some indents," he muttered as Suzu sat down next to him.

Hibiki frowned and shook the back cushion of the chair like he was fluffing a pillow, trying to get rid of his own mark.

Frank, having been awoken by the door's slam, looked at all of this. "You guys need to carry around a punching bag when you're venting," he grumbled before going back to sleep.

"You guys DO know that catharsis is actually not good for you, right?" asked Dorian from his table, adjusting his glasses. "It only makes you angrier."

Suzu turned and glared at him. "Well, it sure as hell feels good somewhere up there," she replied. "...Where'd you pick that up, by the way?"

Dorian nonchalantly whipped out a battered-covered textbook from his backpack. "AP PSYCH" was printed on it in English. Suzu sighed and hung her head as a substitute to an anime fall at the fact he carries a textbook around with him.

Kioshi groan-sighed and flopped down on the sofa the episode started on, bouncing a bit. "Travis, you DON'T want to meet the Agents right now," he said, hand over eyes.

"This doesn't look good," the werewolf muttered, frowning in interest over his shoulder.

"You might want to lay off these for a while," advised Joy, letting go of the forearms. "Kioshi bruised you almost to the bone."

"Wow." Travis walked over and sat on the sofa next to Kioshi, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his paws droop down between his legs. "How'd you learn to punch like that?" he asked.

"That's what I was gonna ask," Yena said in Human, coming over and sitting on the floor next to his fellow wolf.

Kioshi looked over at the werewolf, turning his head and leaving his hand to hold the side of it. "When you're an Ouendan member, you have to be able to straight one-two punch like a jackhammer," he answered wryly. His teammates chuckled in agreement.

Travis smiled a bit. "Heh. So...what happened?" he asked.

"Agent Lock, that's what," Suzu seethed, crossing her arms. "I swear, if I wasn't afraid he'd rip me a new one with that thing behind him, I would have taught him a lesson he'll never forget."

"Lock?" Joy repeated, causing everyone to turn to her. "You mean the Agent with the house keys on a lanyard?" Grim nods. She smiled sympathetically. "I don't blame you," she said. "I'm sorry to say, but he's not the nicest of young men. Something about him makes me feel warm in the angry way, even if he's just standing close to me..." She bowed her head and put her hand on her chin. "...I don't know why, though..." she added softly.

"Possessed," Travis answered, looking a bit serious for once tonight. "I wasn't kidding about that story about my folks, Nurse Joy. I think he's getting possessed by something that's making him act evily." He looked out the window.

Kioshi had lowered his head to rest it in his hands, rubbing his hair. Suddenly, he, along with the other Ouendan, froze, wide-eyed. "Holy..."

Travis could feel it, too, and it caused Dorian, who had given up on sleeping for the moment, to instantly feel wide-awake, own eyes magnifying behind his glasses. Frank merely snorted and snored on. However, Travis made no sign. He just looked thoughtfully out at the people outside, the back of his head being all that the camera could see.

- -

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

"...They're not answering," Kahn muttered. He sat in his chair, adopting his usual steepled-fingers pose, looking at the monitors forming one giant screen for the surprise episode. "Is Lock forbidding them without forbidding them...?" He shook his head. 'At least the others can feel it...' He surpressed a gulp. 'This is it,' he thought, grimacing and narrowing his eyebrows slightly. 'Heaven help them...'

- - - - -

Night filled the sky over the coliseum. Clouds filled the night. But rain didn't fill the clouds, as dark they were. Light from below in the city was polluting the sky, blotting out stars. Various sounds could be heard as the festival went underway. Among them was the sound of the narrator's voice, unheard for many episodes.

_"Every year in the city of Wharfton, a massive battle tournament is held,"_ he began. _"The Wharfton Cup, as it is called, draws people for miles, from all regions, for the chance to watch some of the most intense battles ever, all for the coveted Wharfton Badge. This badge is recognized by the Sinnoh League, and thus gives trainers the chance to skip a gym battle to get to the League. But this is not the only or most important reason it exists."_

Liza walked along, smiling as she ate a dumpling. Behind her walked Charla and Charizard, the latter of whom was blushing ever so slightly.

_"It also begins the annual Empathy Festival,"_ continued the narrator.

Charizard heard someone to the side and looked. He smiled as he saw who and waved. Charlie, standing with his two bandmate friends, waved back, grinning, then turned around again as he blew his trumpet in trio to a small crowd's delight.

Nearby stood Abe, leaning against a lying-down Elodie's shoulder and smiling fondly at her, her returning the face while allowing children to use the slopes, ridges, and bumps of her body as a playground in the middle of a large plaza. "A festival celebrating the bond between man and pokémon...fitting for a date, huh?" Abe asked, and Elodie rumbled a chuckle.

"Go back to your job, sweetie," she said, nudging his butt gently with her snout. He laughed and went.

_"Yes, the bond between people and pokémon--seen by some as the perfect relationship--and, as a result, humanity's coexistence with nature,"_ the narrator went on.

"Hurry, you slowpokes! They're about to hand out the cool awards!" Takishi called, beckoning behind him as he ran.

Kagome and the other brothers smiled and chuckled as they walked after. "Hold your horses, Takishi," Kagome called gently.

Marin walked through the crowd, fanning herself with a white-clothed fan and wearing an uneasy look under her sunhat. "I thought Sinnoh was supposed to be cooler..." she mumbled.

The narrator pressed on, _"Many festivities are held through the night after the Cup ends to the next. On the first midnight, the eight finalists in the Wharfton Cup are each given a special award--one of which being held in higher regard than the Wharfton Badge."_

POP!! Benishirina's yellow dart burst a balloon of its opposite color, to his smirking delight. "Yes!"

Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet all clapped, wearing the outfits that the balloon darts booth people wore. "Good shot!" James complimented.

"That wins you a mid-sized prize!" Jessie chimed, wearing her best smile.

"So, whaddaya wanna get?" Meowth asked.

"That one," Benishirina pointed, indicating a teddy bear-sized smoochum doll. He recieved it and turned to Luna, who was standing there, blushing.

"Oh, you," she said, getting it. She then blinked at Team Rocket before raising an eyebrow and saying, "You guys look familiar," a little suspiciously.

TR sweatdropped and shook their heads, denying it.

_"These awards are given for unique accomplishments, general feats of note, and best-ofs,"_ the narrator explained.

In the crowd gathering around the center of the main plaza, Nozomi went to stand with her children and Masa, smiling at them while they looked up. In little Aiko's hand was a spinda head balloon, while Ryuichi held nothing. He grinned up to his mother. "Those were some great battles those people up there had, weren't they?" he asked.

"That they were," agreed Nozomi.

Flying high above the crowd were Rosa, Jin, and a slightly reluctant Hiromo, soaring atop Pidgeot. They looked down at the festivities with wonder and eagerness. "Ah!" Rosa said, pointing to the crowd below. "That's the awards! Pidgeot, land on a building nearby so we can get a good view!" The great bird gave an affirmative, deep chirp, and banked to the closest building to perch.

_"Each award has been decided on by a panel of judges, so that only one could win each award. A consolation award is given to any ties or overlaps. One award is for Best Gamble, for the trainer who took the riskiest move and succeeded. One is for Greatest Effort, for the trainer who tried the hardest but still lost. One is for Most Contest-like Battler, for the trainer whose battles were the flashiest. One is for Smartest Battler, for the trainer who used the best strategy,"_ listed the narrator.

Kelly frowned as she looked upwards. "It looks like rain," she said after swallowing a mouthful of a caramel apple she was eating, "but...it doesn't FEEL like it..."

Behind her, Sooteye the snorlax was being restrained, with difficulty, by the leader and right- and left-hand boys of the Street Blazers. He was reaching hungrily for a huge platter of fruit that someone was selling food from for people.

The finalists stood in a line, side by side, as the blue-suited mayor of Wharfton walked along, giving them unique medals.

_"One is for Best Battle, a unique consolation award given to both participants of the battle, for the trainers of the battle that wowed the audience and judges in its so-called 'epicness'. One is for Funniest Moment, for the trainer whose pokémon fell victim the most to the most hilarious incedent on the field. One is for something unique that occured in a battle that year; this year's award was for Best Synchronized Victory Dance, given to the trainer who, with his pokémon, had the best winning jig--together. And one is for the trainer who won humbly, lost gracefully, and respected the actions of both sides: Best Sportsmanship,"_ the narrator ended the list, having listed them while the crowd politely clapped for each award being handed out.

"But the greatest prize of all in this tournament," the mayor said, standing next to the last of the finalists, "is the final award. Given to the trainer who most embodies this festival's subject of celebration, it is a mark of a great trainer--and person."

Amongst the crowd were Agents Lock, Meyers, and Hunter. Lock was still shimmering, but otherwise appeared to have calmed. He was crossing his arms and slouching, fidgeting. "C'mon, get on with it," he muttered.

The mayor smiled and held up a gold medal on a 7-color-rainbow ribbon. The medal bore a pokéball symbol on the back, with the emblem of Wharfton--the dock of the Wharfton Badge--on the lower half while the upper bore the name of the winner and the prize. On the front was a line-etched, very beautiful, fancy heart. On the left side of it was a human hand, and on the right was a pawprint, both circled with a line that went around the outside edge of the heart. "This medal--this award--symbolizes the love shared between human beings and pokémon," the mayor continued. "And it also symbolizes the founding principle of the city of Wharfton: That people should work to create, maintain, and protect this strong relationship, as well as the relationships they can have with one another, so that the world will become a better place."

Lock frowned and stuck out his tounge. "Gimmie a break," he murmured.

The mayor held up the medal in two hands and turned to the trainer. "We humbly bequeath thee with the Empathy Award," he said, then placed it around his neck. The boy stood and smiled as the mayor finished, "Ash Ketchum of Pallat Town in Kanto!"

The crowd--partly literally--roared. Lock rolled his eyes and didn't even halfheartedly clap. Ash just blushed and smiled at everyone after shaking hands with the mayor. As well, symbolized by differently-colored-ribboned mini-medals pinned to his vest, he had won the consolation prizes for Best Battle, Best Sportsmanship and Best Gamble. (They all had pokéball symbols, but each was a different ball. The Best Battle was a Master Ball, Best Sportsmanship was a Heal Ball, and Best Gamble was a simple pokéball.)

Part of the literal roaring came from Charizard. Ash turned his head before breaking into a smile and waving. "Charizard!" he called to the flying orange creature a way away. He jumped off-stage--which was okay, since the ceremony had ended, anyway--and into a space cleared by the crowd for both to land.

_"Tonight,"_ the narrator said while this went on, _"during this year's Festival, there will be more than relationships that will be needing protected as an inaudible hum of uneasiness saturates the humid air this hot summer night."_ And he was silent.

Lock grinned as he saw Charizard, too, actually. He laughed loudly when, as traditional, Ash got turned to his US dub namesake by his pokémon as a greeting. Charizard landed from his flight with a smile on. Ash shook the soot off and did his Ash smile at Charizard. "It's great to see you, again, Charizard!" he greeted. "How're you doing?"

Before the fire-tailed lizard could respond, Lock came from the crowd and said, "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite character, Charizard!" Charizard turned and looked, confused at first by the favorite character bit. Then, he stopped, eyes wide.

"What...the...heck...?!" he muttered in his language, subtitles again appearing on the bottom of the screen, while he saw the eyes behind Lock and his shimmering field.

Lock grinned, putting a hand on his hip. "You know, I've always liked it when you flame Ash like that," he went on. "You're pretty cool! Strong, big, and wise enough to put annoying kids in their place." He smirked at Ash, who anger-veined.

_Poom._

Lock and Ash turned to look as they heard the sound. Charizard had taken a step back from Lock, fists clenched and eyes locked on the ones behind Lock. Ash frowned in concern at this--Charizard's never really been AFRAID of anyone! He looked around; only people. "What is it, Charizard?" he asked, coming over. He was so concerned, he barely noticed a happy Pikachu hopping over. Some other people watched on. Included in the crowd behind Ash, background people to the camera's view, were Erin, Paul, and Eliza of the Rosevale Rhydons. As well, Brock and Dawn were approaching, being the people whom Pikachu had jumped from to get to his friend.

Charizard pointed his middle claw, first somewhat up and third curled, at Lock. "Behind him..." he muttered.

Lock widened his eyes as shock came through him. "You...don't want to...be...near me...?" he whispered in horror.

- - -

"Huh?" Brett stopped, hard worked-for girlfriend stopping as well. They were passing by a tv shop in California. The screens were tuning in to Cartoon Network. "Hey, isn't that...?"

"AAAH!! WHAT THE--!?" Kojiro reeled back in his chair at Ryuryu Interactive in Japan as his screen suddenly went from code to cartoons. "...Good thing I have it on auto-save..." he muttered. "Is this some joke?"

People in Times Square looked up and around as the television monitors all about the intersection changed, one by one, to Pokémon.

All the other screens at EBA HQ were changing to the show, as well. "What's going on?!" Kahn asked, looking left and right. "Is this some sort of überhack?"

- - -

Pikachu, sitting on Ash's shoulder, raised his eyebrows. "Lock?" he asked, turning his head. He gasped and tightened his grip on Ash.

"_Mmm!_ Pikachu, careful," Ash admonished, looking to the shoulder the rodent perched on. As he did, he saw Lock and raised his eyebrows. "Lock?"

Lock was standing with feet spread apart. His fists were at his sides, shaking. His head was bowed down, hiding his face. "What? Am I too sophisticated-looking for you, you overgrown country hick?" he asked in a calm voice. Behind him, unseen, the eyes blazed up more. "So much you don't want to be near me?"

Charizard took another step back, sweatdropping a bit. "Erm...you're on fire..." he muttered.

Lock, apparantly, understood this. "Oh, I'm on fire, huh?" he asked, cocking his head. "I'm not surprised. You see...I dunno if anyone else can see, but...quite frankly..." He clenched his fists tighter. "I...am about ready..."

He whipped his head up, revealing red dots burning in the centers of his shades. "...to **EXPLODE!!**" he shouted.

Ash stumbled back, seeing the red eyes. "L-LOCK!! What the--?!" he cried.

"Lock!"

"What's going on?"

Meyers and Hunter ran forward to get to him, but suddenly, a brief flame wall pushed them back with a grunt, as well as some other people.

People finally began to see Lock's outline shimmering and the eyes, slowly fading in as they got hotter. "I've HAD it with this place!" Lock raged. His voice had taken on another quality--as if he were half speaking through a dark voice changer. "It's so damn FAKE, it's SICKENING!! Where's the pain? The violence? The COMPETENT--" here, he glanced over at Team Rocket in their booth, "--crime?"

Team Rocket anger-veined and retorted, """HEY!!""" at this. They were answered with a large, frightening blast of black-outlined, blood-red fire. They screamed and dove out of the way, barely managing to escape before the balloon darts booth exploded.

People were now giving Lock a wide berth, as well as clamoring. "What's up with those eyes?!" cried someone nearby Cecil and his girlfriend.

"Mommy, what's happening??" Aiko asked, crying while tugging Nozomi's apron.

"Woo! Glad we're up here," Rosa said, shakily smiling over at Jin and Hiromi, all of whom were holding binoculars. They bore scared expressions as they nodded. Pidgeot was freaked-blue-foreheading from the display of power.

Lock stood, encompassed by black-outlined flames. He was holding his mic, which was appearing through more flames that diminished. "This whole damn world is POINTLESS!!" he continued. "I can't believe I ever LIKED this show! It's bona-fide G.A.Y.!!"

"LOCK!!" Ash cried, holding his hands up in front of him, expression both cautious and assertive. "STOP!"

Lock ignored him and turned around, looking at everyone. "You know what I say this world needs? It doesn't need some stupid relationship crap! It doesn't need everyone being all hunky-dory all the time! It doesn't need CRAP! I'm SICK of all this KIDDIE SHIT!! What this place needs..." He crouched down.

The ground started to rumble. People were beginning to panic. Abe gritted his teeth and shouted, "EVERYONE, GET DOWN!!" while drawing his pistol.

Cracks formed on the ground, seeping out rays of sinister-looking red-orange light. Then, Lock thrust up, extending his body skyward, fiery mic highest. "...is CHAOS!!" he roared, body flaring in a blast of fire.

**KRRAABAAAAM!!** It looked as if hell had unleashed a hoarde of its denizens upon the world, starting with Wharfton. The ground exploded, sending up debris and thousands of demons. Will-o-whisps, more of the demon-men that Travis had seen on two different occasions, and scads of smaller versions of those things. They ran around, razing everything about. People screamed and ran. The whole of the land was illuminated as if in a burning building.

Then, some people were shot with a white beam bordered by fire. When it faded, they were, as well, and lying on the ground, faces subdued and hopeless.

"SALT!!" Brock cried, reaching into his backpack. "THEY'RE VULNERABLE TO SALT!"

Lock laughed. "You HONESTLY think there's enough salt in the entire WORLD to take these guys all out?" he sneered at the breeder.

"The world?" repeated Marin, who was brave enough to stay near there.

"Right-o," Lock confirmed. The camera came in as if going over him, blackening all the world around his face. It stopped with his shades, the only things showing of him, while scenes from around the Pokémon world were seen.

"From Kanto..." A shot of Saffron City in chaos, the Silph Co. building in black-bordered flames.

"...to Johto..." A scene of Goldenrod City in disarray, the trains pushed over in the station.

"...to Hoenn..." A picture of Slateport City in pandemoneum, the shops in the bazaar in shambles.

"...to Orre..." A vision of Phenac City in distress, the water replaced with what looked like lava.

"...to Sinnoh and beyond!!" A view of a city, somewhere, half in darkness. A large, barely perceptable figure in a cloak lay unconcious in the shadow of an alleyway, lying atop bags of garbage. A long tail could be seen coming from it.

The camera switched back to Lock. "These guys are here to bring about a new world order," he said. "And they're doin' it just the way I like it!!"

Meyers and Hunter stepped back. "Lock..." Meyers said quietly, grimacing.

"Yo, man, he's gone," Hunter told him, face the same. "We's on our own!"

"And there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Everyone turned to face the voice. It was deep, dark, smooth, rich. And it came from a fierce, large-horned, black-and-red-cloaked demon the size of a building. It had three sets of arms, a huge pair of wicked wings, and actual feet, though these were angular as well, and only had three toes. They resembled an aerodactyl's or a bird's feet in shape. It had eyes like any other demon. Its five tails bore spikes all the way down, looking like thorny, squirming arrows. As it floated above the ground, unburning fire forming a circle beneath it, it boomed, "We have come, Agents, feeble humans of this world. You have one of your own to thank for it, actually. I am Master, the leader of my wonderful tribe of demons, the Hatemongers." He took a very polite and graceful bow, rotating all three right arms before pressing them to his grand chest, all three left coming out. Then, as he rose, he fired a blast of that white, fire-rimmed light at a crowd, causing many to fly away. "And we are here to take hold before we perish from the sickening lack of conflict here!" he roared, shaking the ground.

Lock smirked and turned around to everyone. "To take a line from Shrek, this is the part where you run away," he said.

Everyone did run.

"HURRY! TO MT. CORONET!!" shouted Abe, beckoning. "IT WILL BE GREAT COVER!!"

Thankfully, the town was built near the foot of Mt. Coronet, the massive range stretching across half of Sinnoh. Everyone ran off, dodging attacks.

"SQUIRM!! **WHA-HAAA!!**" Lock cried as he, aided by demonic might, flew around and shot balls of black and fire at people, as well as the strange beams.

"Submit to the sorrow within, and all will be easier for you," ordered Master as he fired the strange beam again.

As it happened, all of the people the Agents and Ouendan had cheered on had come into the same crowd. They were almost there, to Mt. Coronet. Then, the beam that Master fired hit behind them, making them fly off and unleash an agonized cry of desperation,

**"UUWWAAAAAAAUUUGGHH!!"**

- - -

Kahn stood up, teeth gritted. "FOXX!" he barked. "**NOW!** WE NEED TO GET IN THERE AND SAVE THESE POOR PEOPLE!!"

"Right!" Foxx pressed a few keys on her computer on the floor.

"Are you certain this will work?" asked Kai, walking over to Kahn, arms crossed. "Can we all get there in time?"

Kahn looked back over his shoulder at the people in the briefing room. Every Agent and Ouendan, both cities, were assembled there. "We have to," he said. "Otherwise, who knows what will happen?"

"...Lock, you handle them," Master's voice came on the screen, redirected Kahn's attention. "Keep cornering them."

"Yes, Master!" Lock affirmed, sounding as if he'd just taken an order from Kahn (which made him twitch).

"Good. Now, people of this world, run. Run, for I love seeing how futile your actions are! You think that someone will help you? Why help you? It's pointless! Do it yourself!" The demon laughed, which sounded like flames blasting apart heavy objects. "After all, that's what we did when we wanted to enter this world. Distress...the key to unlocking the final gate to our world!"

The camera changed to a shot of Master as he floated along, looming over the burning city while crowds ran beneath. All his arms were crossed. He narrowed his eyes as if smiling evilly. "Heh. Run. And I'm not talking just to you down there..." He looked up. Right into the camera. "You, too. Go ahead..."

_CLICK!_

_CLANK!_

_TICK!_

_CLUNK!_

_SNAP!_

People around the world whipped around to find every door and window lock themselves at once, a crackling violet energy fading from the mechanisms. People indoors were locked in while people outside were locked out.

_The entire planet was trapped._

Milly gasped and held her mother as if she were younger than her real 13 years of age. "Mommy?"

Her mom was gazing at the screen, horror on her face. "...Greg...No..."

"...I _DARE_ YOU!!" Master continued, then laughed again. "Oh, yes, I can see you. Not all the millions of hopefully scared shitless faces, but you, Elite Beat Agents, Ouendan!"

Kahn realized then, as well, that all the different screens were broadcasting the show in different languages. "What the...the HELL?!" he asked, then sucked in his breath as he heard himself on all the channels as if near the speakers with a (feedback-proof) microphone.

"You hear that? Kahn, the leader of the Agents, you feeble man," Master taunted, "so 'loyal' to his employees that he would put the entire agency through an embarassing order to watch a kids' show daily!"

"How much do YOU care about your coworkers, huh?!" roared Chieftan, which was saying something. His angry voice was about as frightening to hear as Master's when he was angry, even mildly.

Master scoffed. "WOOAH, there, cowboy," he jeered. "Nobody cares about ANYONE!! Don't you SEE? Bah, I'll get to that later..." He shook his head. "The point is that I'm ecstatic that all of you are convienently in one place. And I have you to thank, as well, Doumeki Kai, for having just as much 'care' for your subordinates," he added, looking over at Kai, who took no steps back at all, but merely let his spiritual flame burn higher. "Cut the bravado, I'm MOSTLY fire," the demon scolded.

"If it were not for the both of you, you would not all be in one room. You, the cheer squad who led Earth to defend itself from a fatal meteorite. You, the agency who led Earth to defend itself from an alien invasion. You, the two squads who led Earth to defend itself from freezing by a burnt-out sun." He chuckled darkly. "Oh, how you've been a thorn in our sides."

All of the television screens (and computer monitors) began to grow a ring of violet, crackly haze--the portal.

The Agents and Ouendan took a step back. "**!**"

Master's eyes began to glow white, bordered by fire. "Now, I want to see YOU, this time, CRY IN DISPAIR!!" he laughed, and fired through the television. Thankfully, he was only aiming for the EBA/Ouendan.

Or..._un_thankfully...?

The briefing room was full of bodies lying down on the floor, dispair overcoming their forms. Well, almost. Chieftan grunted as he fought. "N...No..." he grunted weakly. "You...will...not...wi...iinnnn..." Finally, he collapsed, depression like no other seizing his heart with an icy grip.

Master laughed his bone-shivering, evil laugh. The camera zoomed out from his face, where it had been, and it could now be seen that the clouds had changed into thousands of patches of images--the viewers. Countless faces of people being forced to watch looked on from the sky, like ghosts from heaven looking down at hell on Earth.

Going into these images were demons. Coming out were screams.

-:-:-

Everyone gathered around a plateau at Mt. Coronet. They grouped up, trying to stay away from the beasts below climbing up. Many Officer Jennys and other police were on the border, trying to keep order. They all looked hopelessly at one another. "There's no way we can do this," Rose said, frowning, as she looked at her friends and Sooteye and the other skater kids. "Too much..."

"...They destroyed the Agents..." Kelly whispered, falling to her knees and hands.

"...and the Ouendan..." added Benishirina, falling beside, as well, with Luna standing behind him, fist to her mouth in uncertaincy.

Above, viewers were panicking, some being captured. Many were diving out, hoping for the best. To their dismay, they came out from the clouds. (But, to their relief, none were killed--only made very unhappy, dispair beamed or otherwise.) Some landed on the plateau with the crowd. Among them, viewers could see the forms of Rebecca and her friend, Jenny, who both landed in a surprised Elodie's pouch. "?" she went, looking down with blinking eyes as she felt the _fwumph_ of the two falling in.

Standing in the crowd already, rubbing his arm, was Kojiro. "It...It's hopeless..." he grunted, using Japanese with subtitles for any other viewer but still being understood by everyone around.

"What are we going to do?" asked James, who was standing uncertain with his teammates, holding hands with Jessie. (He and Jessie were back in their normal uniforms.) Around them stood more people. Included was a hurting Monkshood family.

"You FIGHT, that's what!"

(-)Instrumental

Every head turned. On the top of a higher spot on the mountain stood a small group. They jumped, sliding down the side, before hitting the plateau. "OSU!!" I cried, thrusting my hand out in his point.

Around me stood Suzu, Hibiki, the ameture Agents, Meyers, Hunter, and all of the pokémon following us. Everyone looked determined, faces cast in slight shadow from the pale violet light illuminated from the clouds' images that overrode the red light below.

"OUENDAN!!" "AGENTS!!" cried the crowd, smiling in relief.

Unseen to the viewers, Travis's parents gasped and said, "Travis...!"

**-:-(MISSION: ) The Grand Finale?! Two Worlds' Last Shot!!-:-**

The Agents and pokémon scattered into the crowd while us Ouendan dashed to find a suitable cheering place. Travis barked, "We have to believe! Put all your energy into it and fight back with the power inside of you!" as he passed by Team Rocket and Abe.

"""OSU!!"""

Team Rocket and Abe stood, determined flames leaping up as they felt it. """"GOOOOOOO!!""""

"Fight all you want, but you're only gonna make me MORE pissed!!" Travis looked up and snarled.

Lock landed on a rock, surrounded by evil flame, smirking. "This is a REAL battle! Not pokémon-versus-pokémon, but a skirmish in a war!" he warned. He pointed at a group, which included Rosa's and Sooteye's posses. "Your way of life is on the line!"

"""OSU!!"""

More determined flames. "GOOOOOOO!!" (There's a lot in that group, so yeah, no multiple "'s.)

Kelly, Benishirina, and Luna. Marin, Kagome, and her charges. Ash, Charizard, Pikachu, Brock, and Dawn. Everyone was getting energized, now, as the Ouendan passed by them. The scene made Kojiro and other Japanese real-worlders feel déja vù; it was all quite similar to the start of the COUNTDOWN performance some time ago by the Ouendan.

Me, Suzu, and Hibiki skidded into place at a spot nearby the slope of the mountain as we began what I was sure was our final cheer.

"""IKUZE!!...SAN! NI! ICHI! SURE!!"""

- I'm a soldier, znachit ya ((I'm a soldier, and that means))

- I otvetchik i sud'ya ((I'm both defendent and judge))

- Ya stoyu na dvuh kontsah ognya ((I am standing on the two ends of fire))

- Ogibaya virazhi, obgonyaya smert' i zhizn' ((Bending over the steep turns, overtaking death and life))

- Ya begu srazit'sya s ten'yu lzhi ((I'm running to fight the shadow of the lies))

- Skol'ko b ni...

The song for this dire time was the original opening theme to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig, "RISE" by Yoko Kanno and performed by the Scandanavian (I think) singer, Origa. The heavily remixed and rearranged version of the first theme ("Inner Universe") and the complex (no pun intended) cheer of us Ouendan accompanied the crowd in their battle. The primary targets in the crowd who led the side of good were, incedentially, all of the targets that had been cheered by the Agents and us since Lock joined the EBA. At first, the crowd was fighting off the Hatemonger assault barely, the pokémon fighting to a standstill and the people cheering and defiantly dancing with moderate energy--some were doing their best, others were tired. In one place, Travis and Lock were seen locked in a wrestling match, Fallen Agent versus Wannabe Agent. Then, in a frightening dip of confidence, Lock, who had overpowered Travis, was leading the charge with fireballs and minions, the crowd yelling and diving out of the way to avoid getting hit. The lighting had gone in favor of the fiery type. Their drive to survive then passed through like a wave, soon after, and inspired them to cheer and dance with all their heart, a spectrum-bordered white flame starting around them. The pokémon were holding off the demons, repelling them--but not quite defeating them. Lock was being subdued by Travis, who had him in a pin and was pouring his moonlight energy into his body.

"We're trapped!" cried a boy.

Rosa, Sooteye's friends, and Kagome stood with their other friends and some others against a mountain wall, cornered by a group of Heavy Hatemongers (the big ones). They were charging an attack of fire. "Prepare to die!!" they growled, paws together a la Kamehameha Wave.

Everyone blue-squiggle-faced and pressed up to the wall. "They're gonna shoot!!" one of Sooteye's friends whailed.

"BEGONE!!" the demons roared before firing.

_FWOOM!! WHACK!!_ The attack failed! Everyone, cringing and bracing, looked up and saw, to their delight, the pokémon and Tag, Yer, and It doing all they could to defend them: Sooteye was standing with Block, making use of his Thick Fat ability, Pidgeot was using Whirlwind, and the former bandits were dashing and attacking the demons with all of their soul, some of the white, iridescent fire appearing around their shoes and hands as they struck with immense fighting prowess. "STAY BACK!!" they cried.

**--(O)--**

(-)Skol'ko b nitej ne plyol obman ((No matter how much (many?) threads deceit weaves))

(-)Pokazhet lik sveta istina ((The truth will show the face of light))

"Peekaboo."

We turned and got a facefull of dispair beam from a demon before falling. I felt the worst feeling ever...as if everything negative I had ever felt was coming back in spades...as if I could do nothing...My spirit's fire was extinguished.

Lock smirked at his minion's work, pausing from his grapple with Travis. "That oughtta--" he began before looking up and going, "HEY! Why's the music...?!"

Standing and doing their swaying to everyone were his former backups, Meyers and Hunter, performing without a leader. Travis grinned, upside down from his position on the ground. "Agents!!" he cried.

Moments before the next segment began, Meyers and Hunter stopped and pointed out with smiles. ""HEY!!"" they cheered with their souls, feeling the flow of music and the cheer. They felt in their chests the energy that is the source of the EBA's cheering effectiveness. As such, they were able to perform an on-the-spot chorus dance as if they'd practiced it a million times.

The plateau went from firey roaring to energized swaying. "WWOOOOOOAAAAHH!!"

- (It's time to stand)

- Save your tears

- For the day

- When our pain is far behind (It's time to live)

- On your feet

- Come with me

- We are soldiers stand or die (There's no time to be afraid(?))

- Save your fears

- Take your place

- Save them for the judgement day ((I can't make him out...))

- Fast and free

- Follow me

- Time to make the sacrifice

- We rise or fall

The throng did the same as before as the Agents did a strong interperative dance. They didn't do as well as they could have, but it was mostly as best as they could do it.

"Go, go, go!" Benishirina went, running along with Abe and Brock and spreading out salt in a long line.

"Dig like you've never dug in your entire life!!" Jessie ordered as she, James, Meowth, Wobbuffet, and, of all people, Marin worked with pickaxes as they tried to dig into the rock. Beside them were other pokémon, all using Dig as hard as they could.

Platoons of demonic soldiers pressed in. "CHAARRRRRGE!!" they cried.

"HURRY!!" cried Elodie, jump-stomping a powerful Fissure along the line of the trench they were making, spiderweb-cracking the surrounding stone. After the rock was mostly weakened, TR went in a whirlwind of expert hole-digging, with help from Marin and the other pokémon. "YAAAAAH!!" they all cried.

"NO MORE TIME!" Everyone who could dove in, regardless of how finished it was, at the last second.

_WHAMMO!!_ The salt halted the fighters and the trench shielded them from the attacks. Elodie, too big to get in, was struck, but was so enormous, it would have taken more than the four or five dispair beams that were fired. She looked down, wincing a smile to the others in the pit.

Everyone stood, James resting his hand on his pickaxe while mopping his brow. "Not even demons can stop the hole-digging masters!" he crowed triumphantly with a tired but satisfied smile.

"A-MEN!" agreed the others, making some of the people in Cartoon Network HQ wince a little at the fact they're gonna get litigated, for sure.

--(O)--

(-) (Instrumental)

(-) I'm a soldier, born to stand

(-) In this waking hell I am

(-) Witnessing more than I can compute

"Uuuugh..." I groaned as I stood up, my spark reignited from the cheering of Meyers and Hunter. "They revived me..." I muttered. I gasped and looked up as I heard a loud noise. "**!** NO!"

Meyers and Hunter fell down, pale and subdued. They'd been hit.

My heart froze as I looked around at everyone. "It's..." They looked back or continued their battle. The music contined. "It's like before..." I gulped, then closed my eyes and nodded. "I have to..." I looked up again, my fire igniting to full. "It's all up to me! I CAN'T give up!!"

Or, at least, I tried tell myself as I skidded into place again.

"OSU!!" I cried.

Alone against what must have been more than two million people, pokémon, and demons, not to mention the viewers.

- Pray myself we don't forget

- Lies, betrayed and the oppressed

- Please give me the strength to be the truth

- People facing the fire together

- If we don't, we'll lose all we have found

- (It's time to stand)

- Save your tears

- For the day

- When our pain is far behind (It's time to live)

- On your feet

- Come with me

- We are soldiers stand or die (There's no time to be afraid(?))

- Save your fears

- Take your place

- Save them for the judgement day ((I can't make him out...))

- Fast and free

- Follow me

- Time to make...

'I can do this!' I told myself over and over as I cheered. But no matter how hard I cheered, it seemed, they couldn't do more than barely...That's when the chorus came again. ''It's time to stand'...' I repeated. _'It's time to STAND!'_ With a roar, I poured my entire body, mind, and spirit into my cheering, emitting as much energy as I could.

And they fought harder.

(-) Time to make the sacrifiiii-i-i-ice

"THUNDER!!" Ash cried, pointing as he commanded Pikachu in front of him. He was alone against a wall. He was to my right at the moment and pretty nearby.

"Perfect shot..." Master came floating up here, aiming a finger and charging a dispair beam.

Lock came down before Pikachu could move and smirked. "I've waited a while to do this," he said, floating.

Right in Master's line of fire--firing fire.

I whipped my head around at this, alerted. I then turned an arrow stomp into a closed-fist dash, turning to him as I did the move. My profile was all Master could see as my arms swung down. Then, after doing a hand clap on the run, I jumped and thrust my arms out, crashing into Lock. My left hand burned as it collided head-on with the eyes behind him.

"AAAWWRRRRUUGH!!" Lock cried, flying back farther than me, his body having been transferred my momentum. I hung in the air for a split second. Just too long.

(-) We rise or--

_**K Y U U U U U S H H H H H ! ! !**_

-:-:-

(...)

-

Vrrrrrnnnn--Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk--

VWOOYYY-PSHH!!

(...)

TEUUSHH!!

-

--

---

(DREADFULLY sorry for how much I swiped from Earth's Last Day (or whatever it's called) for this!)


	3. Chapter 29 COMMENT ON REAL PLZ!

_____

(29)_*_*_( ) (One) (More) (Time)

-:-:-

The young Ouendan's body tumbled and rolled like a ragdoll, Ash standing and looking on in horror. The crowd stood motionless, the demons stood in awe.

A smoking finger fell, and Master's face could be seen. "...fall." He loomed over the plateau, illuminating it in hellish light. He crossed his arms and hovered, wings open and legs dangling, fire spewing from his body like a stench. "And so is snuffed the last light of hope. I was starting to get annoyed--your futile efforts had lost its entertainment value." He hovered over slowly to Lock.

The people above and below began to collapse to each other. Tears began to stream as the realization that they were all doomed washed over them all. "The Ouendan are gone..." whined Charizard as he stood in a group with some of the other pokémon, some of whom were tearing up.

"Agents..." breathed Travis. He was currently on the ground, fur rough in patches and slightly burned after Lock had subdued him to get to Ash. Around him stood some of the humans.

Dragonair collapsed, barely any body holding her head from the ground. "Kioshi..." she whispered slowly, tears filling her eyes.

"Worthless," Master spat as the camera focused on the spiritually dead bodies of the Agents and Ouendan (not the ameture Agents, though), first on the plateau and then through the image from EBA HQ.

It focused back on Master, who floated over Kioshi's body, turning to face the crowd. "That's what all of this...determination," he bit out, as if the word were made of bitter pepper, "is." He scanned the crowd. "This world is in desperate need of reform, whether it likes it or not," he said. "This story is feeble and shallow, a drawn-out torture. The amount of innocence is sickening!" He opened his upper set of arms and spread them out, palms up. "Where's the hate, people? The conflict? Nowhere!" He crossed his arms again. "A world without racism and environmental issues...This world is so optimistic, it's detestable! And as much as we need hatred, we feed the best off of darkness." He chuckled. "And darkness is what we shall bring."

'Uuuhnnn...'

I groaned and shakily got up, looking around. Black. 'Who was that talking...? Where am I...?' I muttered.

'Inside your head,' answered a familiar voice.

I gasped and looked up. Before me stood me, glowing in fire and looking like a bat outta hell. I shot to my feet and stepped back. 'Wh-wh-WHAT?! Me...?!' I exclaimed.

The other me smirked and nodded, floating over. As he did, he grew and changed. 'Yes...your hatred. The hatred you have lying deep within you,' he answered. 'The hatred you all have inside of you.' He stopped, towering at sixteen feet above me and changed to be a slightly-different-looking Heavy Hatemonger; instead of one set of arms, he had two, and he wore my shades. He chuckled deeply. 'Come on, admit it, I look sexy,' he jibed.

I grimaced. 'No,' I fought back. I backed up and hit a wall. I turned and found a window. It was currently black, and I heard groaning and grunting and wind, as well as a voice speaking. 'What...?' I whipped around again. 'What do you want?!' I demanded.

'We want to make people suffer,' my hate replied, copying Master's words perfectly as he spoke. 'By spreading darkness across this world and the other world, we will breed suffering. Suffering breeds hate and unneeded pain and selfishness. Ah, selfishness--that wonderful word. Let me just say that, right now, every person in the world thinks only of themselves.'

'You're WRONG!!' I fought back, clenching my fist.

'Oh, AM I?' he asked, raising an eyebrow. 'Think. Why do you help? Because you don't want to feel bad and because you're taught you should--you don't want to go against others' opinions. Why do you make friends? You don't want to feel lonely. Why do you create? To get attention. Why do you defend the arts? Because they are entertainment and they make you happy, and no addict enjoies their addiction being taken! FACE IT!!' He got in my face, making me sweat a bit. 'All that you do you do for yourself! Why do you love? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MATE!!'

While Master paused to let this sink in outside, my hate prodded me with a finger in the chest, making me grunt. 'And YOU, Agent Lock, are especially guilty,' he added. 'You've been getting overconfident.'

"And a sign of selfishness--another form, sugared to become less threatening by humanity--is confidence," continued my hate and, outside, Master. He looked down at Kioshi. "It is an impossible-to-manage quality. Too little, and you will fail, never able to fully carry out your task. Just enough, and you're apt to change at the drop of a hat. And too much..." He chuckled as he looked at my body. "Too much, and you open yourself to demons," he finished. He narrowed his eyes and barked, "Lock! Quit fooling around! You've got the audience you've wanted! The audience you've craved! The audience you've been having since you joined the Agents!" He whipped his head up and laughed, "AN AUDIENCE WHO LISTENS TO _YOU_, OF _ALL_ PEOPLE!!"

I froze as my body shook my head and looked up, giving me a glimpse through tinted windows at the people looking at me. I gaped and removed my own shades slowly. 'He's...he's right,' I realized. 'I've...' I looked down in shame. 'I've been loving the fact I've been able to get an audience to actually respect me...ME, of all people...a nerd. A Band geek. A target.' I put my hands around my head. 'I've let being an Agent get to my head!!' I whailed.

'And that sickens me,' continued Master/my hate, settling down. 'Only foolish, flat people such as you all could ever value this boy. What endears me is the fact that it really is actually quite shallow--you only appreciate the Agents and the Ouendan because what they do for you. You treat them just as they should be treated--TOOLS, there to better your own situation and stamp on others!' They laughed again. 'The only disadvantage to letting these fools run rampant is that they encourage positivity, that fake concept that shields us from our source: Hatred. Somehow, if one is 'good,'' they finger-quoted with their second set of arms, 'they are immune to us, even if our world's entrance was breached and we were better able to come to this mortal world.' They set their arms across once more. 'But we have played on the fact that these organizations' leaders are stupid, full of the folly of 'positivity' and the fake definition of 'love'. By using our power and finally luring young, inept Agents and Ouendan into this world, we have upset the reality of this world and theirs, further encouraging our invasion.'

"With that, we have waited for the right time to take out all of the Agents and Ouendan while they are in an easy place where none can get them--in front of television screens!" Master/my hate guffawed. "How stupid! But that stupidity is what makes it so great. Now, we have this sickening world in our hands..." All arms spread out. "No more will there be happiness or this taunt to realism. No world is happy. Nobody likes everyone. Nobody is good. And for the victory we will accomplish, you have only to thank the viewers of this fabricated world--this _show!_" Master looked to the clouds. "Thank you, America, in the most part! Your hatred of this world, placed so rightly, is the greatest kind--based on foolishness. Oh, how your brains can be a blessing and a hindrance! Listen to your hate--but wait, that's the wrong kind! _WHA_-HA-HA! Confused yet? Heh." He looked down again, arms folding again. "Now, watch and remember the day this world finally perishes and a new world--our world--rises up in its place, a world fulfilling your desires to see a reflection of life the way it is!" He opened one arm at a time. "Darkness! Selfishness! Hatred! Pain!" All arms came in and then out (which added the third set Master owned) when he roared, "_DISPAIR!!_ THE KEY TO OUR ESCAPE AND OUR VICTORY OVER THAT _SICKENING_ FOOLISHNESS CALLED HAPPINESS!!"

At this, Ash opened his eyes, tears flying out, look of determination on his face. Dragonair opened her eyes, tears flying out, look of defiance on her face. Both, having gone to the ground, came up slowly. Ash took his hands and opened them slowly while Dragonair flashed, her friends behind her flashing, as well. Then, both stood full and erect. Together, they began.

_Clap._ "E. B. A." _Clap._

"O...en...DAAAN!!"

Slowly, very slowly. Ash stood and clapped, chanting.

Slowly, very slowly. Dragonair finished evolving into Dragonite while reeling back and punching, speaking in Human. She was joined by Teddiursa, now Ursaring, and then Croconaw, now Feraligatr. Both of them seemed to be a lot skinner than they ought to, though nobody noticed at the time.

I shot my eyes open. 'What...?'

"Wha-ha-hat?" laughed Master in disbelief. "You HONESTLY think that they can hear you? That you can do a dramatic worldwide chant and revive your 'heroes'?" He laughed. "But why? You know that it's futile! Nobody is good! You only want to use them to preserve your own way of life!" He shook his head as they continued. "Don't believe me? Go on. Try it." He folded his arms and waited.

'You...' I looked at Ash from the window. 'You trust me...even now...?'

Others looked at each other, then nodded. "Let's take him up on that," said someone.

"Together now!" said another.

_Clap._ "E. B. A." Clap. "E. B. A." _Clap._

"Ou...en...DAAN!!" _Punch._ "Ou...en...DAAN!!" _Punch._

'I can't believe it...' I muttered, crying a little and smiling. 'Ash...everyone...you still believe in us...and you trust me even though I betrayed all of you...'

'Futile. I'm waiting for the word to distrove them, which should be any second, now,' my hate said, nodding.

After a few moments, Master glared and said, "Trial up. Lock, show them that their hope is gone," he ordered my body, which had stood at attention after being ordered before.

"YESSIR!" it cried, as if saluting Kahn. It stepped forwards, aiming at Ash with my mic. Ash kept cheering, as did the others. They increased their cheering speed and settled on a good beat.

I looked at this scene, and my life flashed before my eyes. My best friends and fellow Agents, now lying lifeless on the stone...My loving family, now watching at home in horror...My experiences with everyone I've helped, including Ash...now gone...to nothing...And I wondered, breifly, how they all got better even after all this...how they all still fight...

And it hit me.

_SMACK._

'Huh?!'

'No.'

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

My body stopped in front of Ash. "Eh?" Master grunted.

The ameture Agents added their cries, now, and the cheering increased until everyone was cheering.

"EBA! OUENDAN! EBA! OUENDAN!"

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

I gripped the arm of my hate, pulling him down to my level after the jump. 'No. You're wrong,' I said.

"You're wrong," I heard myself say in a shaky whisper that faded as my hate tried to break free and came in as I clenched harder.

"What?!" asked Master/my hate.

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

'There's something that you just don't get behind all that logic you spewed,' I said slowly, putting my shades back on.

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

White fire, the kind with the spectrum around the edges, began to flare up around my body inside my mind. I felt strength returning to me. 'You just don't get it.'

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

"What don't I get?!" asked Master.

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

'You're wrong about this world!' I grabbed my hate with both arms.

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

'You're wrong about good and kindness!' I began to spin him around and around my mind.

(-) What we do is what you just can't do

"Wrong about you weak creatures?!" Master scoffed.

'You're wrong about us 'weak creatures', too!' I added, slamming my hate onto the floor one way, then the next.

(-) We are the cartoon heroes, u-_woah_-oh...

The Ouendan's bodies were being filled with color again.

'You're wrong about nearly everything you said--nearly, I'll give you that, but only barely!!' I spun again.

Meyers's and Hunter's bodies began to glow again, too. A fire imbued with golden energy began to emanate from them.

The eyes were fading.

"No...No!...NO!!" Master was shouting.

(-) We came out of a crazy mind, u-_woah_-oh...

'And it's because you just don't under_s_t_an_d t_he c_ruc_ial thing we all have inside!"_ I finished, finally tossing my hate against a wall. He broke into a thousand lights and disappeared, three or four remaining after changing into a more subdued color and going away.

(-) (One extra measure instrumental effect)

The eyes behind me vanished. The fire around me was put out and replaced with the fire and light within me as I, along with the Ouendan and other Agents jumped up high, bursting with the power coming from our bodies. We soared high with an echoing, mingling, """OSU!!""" """HEY!!"""

_"WHAAAT?!"_ roared Master.

(-) (Instrumental)

We landed together and quickly did victorious mini-speeches as the crowd went wild.

"""The Elite Beat Agents are at your service!!""" we announced with pride and joy as we posed.

"OSU!" Hibiki shouted. They went one way.

"TATAKAE!" Suzu added. They went the other.

"OUENDAN!" Kioshi finished. They went forwards.

The crowd cheered, and a light could be seen coming from behind the clouds. Day was coming upon us, like it was when our team saved the world.

Me and Kioshi looked at each other. Our teams were side by side. The music was pumping. And the crowd was already getting pumped, swaying with a fist while fire and light poured from their bodies. "Let's teach them a lesson, eh?" I asked, smirking.

Kioshi nodded, agreeing, "One they'll never forget."

We jumped up and swayed on the left of the audience while Kioshi and his cohorts skidded into place on the right with an """OSU!!""". The people who were most visible, however, were both of our teams' leaders. We started what may have been the most groundbreaking cheer in EBA/Ouendan history on the song's seventeenth measure and counted down during the eighteenth, extra measure. Our words were in near unison, going evenly together.

**"""IKUZE!!"""--"""Are you ready?!"""**

_"HAI!"--"YEAH!"_

**"""SAN!"""--"""3!"""---"""NI!"""--"""2!"""--"""ICHI!"""--"""1!"""--"""SURE!!"""--"""GO!!"""**

- We are what we're supposed to be

- Illusions of your fantasy

- All dots and lines that speak and say

- What we do is what you wish to do!

- We are the color symphony

- We do the things you want to see

- Frame by frame, to the extreme

The very song that, ironically, I had the least confidence in, that we STILL had trouble with when we last practiced, which was sometime before "Aisle 10":

"Cartoon Heroes (Speedy Mix)" by Aqua (remixed by Barbie Young), a song that both of us--EBA and Ouendan--knew from its presence in Dance Dance Revolution Extreme. While I danced with just about every move I knew to the complicated routine, Kioshi pulled out practically every single Ouendan move in the book in the same routine. Our cheers were together, blending "HEY!" with "OSU!" in an interesting combo. Behind us, barely noticible to the audience, our backups did their best, working side by side.

While we danced and cheered, the crowd fought back, but differently. Instead of actually fighting, the pokémon came and cheered and danced, as well. The ones who were most aligned with the EBA did the dancing--party dance maneuver number 1, for those who know what I'm trying to reference--and the ones with the Ouendan cheered, everyone pumping their arms in time with the beat. Even the people in the real world did so. The same basic things happened: If they were okay, they were half going, half tired, with their selves being protected from ambush by a faint, barely-strong-enough beat-pusling barrier that Travis was making with moonlight. If they were discouraged, they were jumped, running around to avoid attacks. If they were energized, tall, powerful white-and-rainbow fire poured from their bodies. No one could touch them. This all fluxuated a lot, partially due to us. This was the hardest song we all knew. And we had never aced it in our lives. It was one of the songs in the EBA book that few missions had been done without an error with. And there weren't a lot of missions.

Groups of people stood cheering while pokémon helped defend them with strong, light-fire-powered strikes that banished the demons around. "OSU!" "HEY!" **"OSU!" "HEY!"** went the humans and any cheering pokémon.

"Nobody!" Pikachu and Charizard cried (in their language) while protecting Ash and co., Liza, Charla, and some others with fire and electricity.

"Gets away!" Pidgeot (with Rosa atop) and Sooteye shouted (in their language, as well), using wind and pure force to defend their friends and others.

"With hurting!" Elodie, Zante and Vesp, and Yena yelled, using strength and speed to watch over Abe, the two women-of-the-house and their families, and others (including Travis's family and the ameture Agents while they led their own dance, though simpler than ours due to lack of practice).

"OUR LOVED ONES!!" ROARED Dragonite, Ursaring, and Feraligatr, mostly Dragonite, as they defended Benishirina and Luna, Kojiro, Kelly, and us.

Kioshi punched out with his left arm while I thrust my mic with my right. ""Because we'll defend them with all our heart!"" we finished resolutely, bursting with light-fire along with the others.

Master gawked as all of his fiery troops on the plateau were incinerated by the glowing burst of fire, leaving him alone. "H-HEART?! But--!!" he screamed, holding an arm up to defend himself from the painful power we radiated.

**---(O)---**

(-) Our friends are so unreasonable

(-) They do the unpredictable

(-) All dots and lines that speak and say

(-) What we do is what you wish to do

(-) It's all an orchestra of strings

(-) Doin' unbelievable things

(-) Frame by frame, to the extreme

(-) One by one, we're makin' it fun

Master gazed into the distance and commanded, "TROOPS! ENOUGH SCREWING AROUND, DESTROY THESE PESTS!! ALL OF THEM!!" On the screens around the main one in EBA HQ, if the camera could see there, scenes of people in other regions and in reality being invaded by more Hatemonger demons came up and in.

"""OSU!!"""

*Sway*

"You do a special dance, correct?" Kioshi asked quickly while we waited for our entrance.

"Yes," I replied as quickly.

"Then let's do it half-and-half," he suggested. "First chorus we all dance half, cheer half; second, vice-versa; third, we do our own thing."

"Agreed!" I nodded, impressed.

- We are the cartoon heroes, u-WOAH-oh!

- We are the ones who're gonna last for-ev-er!

- We came out of a crazy mind, u-WOAH-oh!

- And walked out on a PIECE of paper!

- Here comes Spiderman, arachnophobian!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

- Here comes Superman, from Never-Neverland!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

To my amazement, the Ouendan did our chorus dance (which, thankfully, allowed for us to split in the middle as we did) perfectly. We amazed ourselves by copying their cheering moves down to every angle their arms made, though we couldn't open our right hands for fear of dropping the mics. And we pulled through the actual chorus wonderfully, considering the circumstances.

Looking up, we saw, to our relief, that the people being attacked all over the world in reality were defending themselves with energy. As well, we knew folks in the Pokémon world were winning, too. Japanese men, women and children used Ouendan moves to blast with fire; Pallat Town folks were commanding with fiery forms; French folk saluted their native dramatic art by miming a solid wall of fire in front of them; Slashers were destroying everything in sight with fire-enhanced weapons; and New Yorkers in Times Square were doing what New Yorkers do best, kick ass. As they fought, we cheered on, going in groups.

""The heart and mind..."" me and Kioshi began, fists out forwards.

""...are two different things,"" continued Meyers and Suzu, Meyers slouching and holding his hand to his left side while Suzu held her left arm, hand flat and vertical, out, standing straight.

""While you're right that..."" Hunter and Hibiki carried on, dropping and spreading their legs while one hung his free hand and the other punched the ground.

"""...we essentially think only of ourselves...""" Travis, Frank, and Dorian chimed in, kicking to the right in unison.

"""...our minds are built to work that way!""" went on Dragonite, Ursaring, and Feraligatr, holding their arms up from a thrust.

Some Heavy Hatemongers entered through the many monitors of the EBA's screen, aiming blasts of flame. They were decimated by a burst of fire and energy.

**"HEY!"**

**"OSU!"**

Standing and smirking (or grimacing), the EBA and Ouendan proved themselves more tenacious than Master thought. Kahn rose from his seat, adjusting his glasses, as he and Kai finished, ""Our hearts allow us to and make us care for others!!""

The air began to clear, the clouds parting to show a bit of morning sky to shine between the clouds. Master groaned, "NOOO!!" and flinched from a sunbeam striking his shoulder.

**"HEY!/OSU!"** went everyone else.

**---(O)---**

(-) (Instrumental)

(-) We learned to run at speed of light

(-) And to fall down from any height

(-) It's true, but just remember that

(-) What we do is what you just can't do!

"NO! There's no such _THING_ as a heart!!" the leadin' demon decreed, coming down and assaulting us directly, now, pissed beyond all get-out. "Life can only follow the base needs and desires of their mind and body!! Enough STUPIDITY, already!!"

"""OSU!!"""

*Sway*

I heard gulps behind me from Meyers and Hunter, and I looked over my shoulder. "We can do it, if we believe in each other," I assured. "And believe in yourself." This, however, I added DIRECTLY to Kioshi, smirking knowingly.

**"!"** He tried to make no facial expression at this, but I could still feel it. Behind him, the Bluendan exchanged glances with each other, eyes glinting with caring triumph.

- An opera of craziness

- A bunch of dots that's chasing us

- Frame by frame, to the extreme

- One by one, we're makin' it fun (Chik-chik-chik-chik)

- We are the cartoon heroes, u-WOAH-oh!

- We are the ones who're gonna last for-ev-er!

- We came out of a crazy mind, u-WOAH-oh!

- And walked out onto a PIECE of paper!

- Here comes Spiderman, arachnophobian!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

- Here comes Superman, from Never-Neverland!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

This time, while everyone was cheering, they were working to repel Master as he tried to attack. The flames, however, were too much for him, and he had to shy away every time he swooped to strike. Meanwhile, during the chorus this time, we did Ouendan moves first, then continued the dance during the second half, as we'd decided. Again, we each caught on quite well.

Up in our world, people were cheering together in unison, and in very close contact. Brett and his fiancee, who hadn't come into the tvs because they couldn't enter the shop they were in, stood in the center of a close-knit line doing the wave down in California. As we saw this, we heard some of them speak back. "The mind can't function while a heart exists, but hearts don't work without minds, either!"

New Yorkers were dancing up a storm, Broadway style, in Times Square. "We're just so stupid and go with the flow that we never give things a second chance anymore, instead shooting prejudiced hatred at it!"

French were doing the can-can, Japanese were doing the Carameldansen, and English (ditching the fact that their native folk dance was disappearing in their own country) were in sets of six, doing capers with hankies. And everywhere else, if people weren't dancing, they were fist-pumping and cheering.

"Every good story is unique in its own way, with strong messages made to change the world and humanity's way of living to a better one!" instructed some French (translated).

"We older people want them to be 'cool' and dark with themes that we're comfortable being shown that way, even when that would destroy what makes them great!" a few Japanese noticed (translated, again).

"We've got to THINK about the messages already inside of them for ourselves before we color our hearts with opinion, and NOT just submit to peer pressure and jump to conclusions!" many English stated (translated for slang and spelling).

Back in EBA HQ, where one side of the main screen showed monitors of PokéWorld, the other showed them from the real world. "And that 'fictional' world you're in, demon, is so deep and rich, it is officially rotating in its own universe, not entirely bound to the world of its creator," Kahn informed in a serious, but cool, voice while sitting and steepling his fingers.

"If you mess around with what makes it true, then you'll do nothing more than destroy it and you with it!" Kai shouted with his fierce tone, crossing his arms and standing.

All through this, "OSU!" and "HEY!" filled the skies of Earth as it glowed with light-fire its dancing and cheering inhabitants were generating. The beautifully-detailed planet grew an aura of the rainbow-outlined white flame.

**---(O)---**

(-) (Instrumental, the first eight measures of it)

"No, no! There is only MISERY!!" cried Master, glowing with the white, fire-rimmed flame I had shot what felt ages ago.

"""OSU!!"""

*Sway*

"We're mostly through!" Suzu said.

"Let's keep it going!" Hibiki coaxed.

- (Instrumental (the main one in the song))

- One by one, we're makin' it fun

- U-WOAH-oh...u-WOAH-oh...

- One by one, o-one by one

- U-WOAH-oh...u-WOAH-oh...

- We're makin' it fun!

- (More instrumental)

- U-WOAH-oh...u-WOAH-oh...

This was one of the hardest parts, involving many spinner maneuvers and tricky groups of consecutive hits. (It was nothing compared to the third segment of JJF, though, which we'd always failed at when practicing it in the HoloJam room.) What made it so hard was that there was little lyrical cue to follow--it was almost all made up of breakbeat percussion-following. NOT exactly fun for our tired (but not flagging) arms and legs. The Ouendan appeared to be struggling to keep up with it, but we all held it together and pulled through this fourth section.

Once-broken cities were washed over with a repairing line of light-fire that left them sparkling, humans getting up and cheering from their formerly-depressed states. "This world is beautiful and peaceful," I narrated, letting the camera see only the view instead of "green-screening" as we'd done two segments ago.

Fields and rivers, formerly burned and dried up, flushed with life as the light-firewall screamed over them. Wild land pokémon got up and cheered, too, in their own languages. "Here, nature is safe, coexisting with machinery happily."

The skies around mountains, dreary and smoggy, were swept with a fan of light-fire, filling it once more with clarity and cleanness. Flying pokémon swooped and cheered while two mountian climbers, one black and one white, joined them together. "Racisim is a silly, useless belief that has gone the way of the idea that Earth's flat."

Choppy, polluted waters were washed with a wave of light-fire, restoring their serenity and purity. Water-dwelling pokémon surfaced and cheered, while in a boat stood three people, who fished out a tire with their hands before cheering with them. "Through the buildup of kind actions that people can take every day, the whole of life was able to get to this point!"

After the camera showed all of these things, it came back to the plateau, where I shouted seriously, "The message of this world is not one that's obvious and shown by characters' actions--it's the world itself!! It's a Comedy!"

Me and Kioshi locked arms. ""**This is the world the way that it COULD be, should we choose to make that effort!!**"" we finished together.

A view from space could see an "OSU!"'ing and "HEY!"'ing land of Pokémon Japan, the country and all the regions--from the anime and from the games--becoming bordered with light-fire.

**---(O)---**

(-) (One last instrumental)

We didn't even give Master a chance to whine. Without us prompting them, everyone flaming-swayed. Kioshi and the Ouendan nodded to each other, and I looked and nodded at my fellow Agents. """"""_Let's end this!_"""""" we said in unison.

- You think we're so mysterious

- Don't take us all too serious

- Be original, and remember that

- What we do is what you just can't do

- (What we do is what you just can't do...)

- What we do is what you just can't do

- What we do is what you just can't do

- What we do is what you just can't do

- What we do is what you just can't do

- We are the cartoon heroes, u-WOAH-oh!

- We are the ones who're gonna last for-ev-er!

- We came out of a crazy mind, u-WOAH-oh!

- And walked out onto a PIECE of paper!

- Here comes Spiderman, arachnophobian!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

- Here comes Superman, from Never-Neverland!

- Wel-come to the Toon Town par-ty!

- There's still more to come

- And everyone will be

- Wel-comed at the

- Toon! (Toon!)

- Town! (Town!)

- Parrrtyyyy...

- _ENCORE!!_

Abruptly, we switched our dancing style to be more simple flowing, often making phrase movements when there were really felt as hit moves, as the music calmed down a bit from the intense, super-upbeat dance music it was until then. Then, after another spinner maneuver, we picked it back up and did as we had discussed: The Agents did their chorus dance, the Ouendan did their moves. When it came to the tricky-rhythmed final, "extra" part, we all did normal moves before, with a creschendoing whoop from us and roar from the Ouendan, we pulled out the final spinner.

Those familiar with the song were surprised when the last measure of the song was more busy, as if it went on, still. At our combined cry to repeat (encore), it did. It looped back to the chorus it was on, with a new sound in the background:

"What we do is what you just can't do! What we do is what you just can't do! What we do is what you just can't do! What we do is what you just can't do!" Some people and pokémon were singing the ostinato while others were cheering, "OSU! HEY! OSU! HEY!" This was happening in both the real world and the Pokémon world.

(-) We are the cartoon heroes, u-WOAH-oh!

(-) We are the ones who're gonna last forever!

Normal (or not) people and (almost) everyone we've ever cheered in this world--Agents or Ouendan--stood and did something on the plateau to express their own cheering while the camera, from above, panned from left to right. Ash did his fist-raised determination pose and shouted with Pikachu; Brock and Dawn raised their fists and cheered; Charizard bugled and flamed; Charlie TRUMPETED; Abe shot his pistol in the air; Elodie raised her paw to the sky with another back as if holding a fairy in a ballet dance; Travis joined from his group and howled while his "backups" posed in arrow positions; Benishirina and Luna raised their arms and cheered while holding each other; Erin, Paul, and Eliza did order arms; Marin lifted her sunhat high in the sky; Team Rocket saluted with their shovels; Cecil and his girlfriend pumped their fists; Kelly flourished her paintbrush; Travis's family howled with their eldest child; Rosa, Hiromi, and Jin thrust out a fist whilst riding Pidgeot, who cawed; Nozomi lifted her daugter up high and Masa his son while the former held her balloon up and the latter twirled a noisemaker; Kagome held up a pokéball while Takishi, Yusuke, and Itachi formed a human tower (oldest on the ground and youngest on top); Dragonair, Ursaring, and Feraligatr did more Ouendan cheering moves ("""OSU!"""); and Sooteye somehow did a comically high-flying stalefish while the other Street Blazers kids did other tricks. All the while, light-fire was blazing from the determined-eyed group, the ground below and glowing white with rainbow borders around the people.

"OSU! HEY! OSU! HEY!"

(-) We came out of a crazy mind, u-WOAH-oh!

Everyone back in EBA HQ was cheering, even Kahn.

**"OSU! HEY! OSU! HEY!"**

(-) And walked out onto a PIECE of pa-per!

The ground of the Pokémon world glowed with the light-fire, and the sky glowed with the light-fire. All of the demons left in either world stopped and trembled as the two universes rumbled, the flames collecting in a beam from above and below. Televisions and monitors in reality began to glow white.

All this time, Master was cowering from the light. "WHYWHY_WHYY!!!???_" he roared. "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A HEART! IT'S ALL A TRICK MADE BY THOSE FEEBLE IMAGINATIONS OF YOURS THAT EXIST PURELY FOR THE INVENTION OF TECHNOLOGY!!"

"Then why are you so scared?!" demanded Travis, fur glowing white and beautiful. He grinned wolfishly, and a faint image of the head of his inner beast, Jet, could be seen floating behind him. "Admit it! Hearts DO exist! And with them come good!"

"And out of good comes the concept that you're afraid of," added Dragonite, flaming with white and red fire. "COURAGE!! Because if dispair is the key to your escape, then courage is the key to your capture!!"

"NOOOOO!!" Master raged as people joined in on the singing. He tried to fly away, going fast and far and high. "YOU'LL _NEVER_ ESCAPE CONFLICT! NO MATTER _HOW_ HARD YOU TRY, DISPAIR _WILL_ FIND A WAY!!"

"BUT WE _TRIVE_ ON CONFLICT, 'CUZ DAT'S WHY WE'S GOT COURAGE!!" Meowth threw it back in his face with his best Brooklyn-accented cat roar.

"Here comes Spiderman!" the real-world crowd sang.

"Arachnophobian!" the real-world cheerers sang.

"Wel-come to the Toon Town par-tay!!" the real-worlders chorused, their twin, twisting beams of white fire light shooting down, charging towards the archepeligo below.

"Here comes Superman!" the Pokémon-world crowd sang.

"From Never-Neverland!" the Pokémon-world cheerers sang.

"Wel-come to the Toon Town par-tay!!" the Pokémon-worlders and their visiters chorused, their twin, twisting beam of light shooting up, screaming for the patchwork of real-world clouds above.

Both parties sang in unison as the beams collided and created an enormous blast that cleared away all the Hatemongers.

"There's still more to come! And everyone will be--"

They came, the camera flashing between first the real, then Poké, beams, then crowds, as the next syllables came.

"Wel-comed at the--"

"_TOON!_" **BOOM!** They hit!

"(TOON!)" _FWOOM!_ A bubble shockwave of multicolored light swelled from the impact, obliterating every normal and heavy Hatemonger in both worlds.

"_TOWN!_ (TOWN!)" The two beams deflected off of each other and shot in the same direction, an enormous blast of blinding white, the camera following the tip.

"_**PAAAAARRRRRRTAAY!!**_" The beam engulfed a roaring Master.

And it ended at last.

The skies cleared to normal, showing a few blank, fluffy cumulus clouds in front of morning cerulean. A blissfully cool, gentle breeze blew across the land. One could still hear the real world's cheering combining with the Pokémon world's. Everyone below on the ground jumped and clapped and whooped and cheered yet still! OSU! HEY!

"EBA! OUENDAN! EBA! OUENDAN!" different groups of former targets and people continued to chant, jumping and cheering.

We stood, arms crossed and at our hips, dutifully serious and sincerely happy respectively, as everyone said our names.

"OU--E! EN--B! DAAAAAN--AAAA!"

The drums played as the Ouendan were treated with their own theme song.

- Ouen, ouen, ouEEEENNN...

"We promise to preserve this world we've worked hard to make as it is, Ouendan, Agents!" assured Kojiro, Benishirina and Luna, Travis's family, and Marin, smiling.

"Thank you so much for helping us in our troubles and come together, teams!" gave Charizard (in his language), Ash and co., and Sooteye (in his own language) and his friends.

- OSU! TATAKAE! OUENDAN! _(Bum!)_

Then, to our surprise, our own theme song, little-known, began to go up for us, right after the first. Infused with funky spy theme influence, we loved to hear it after such an effort. It was similar to the song we use as a warm-up at HQ.

- Go, go, g-go! Fight, fight, fi-fight!

- You're at the end of your rope and things just ain't right

- Go, go, g-go! We'll give you your chance--

- Elite Beat Agents, saving the world through song and dance!

- Agents are..._GO!!_

While we heard the women singing this song, we heard everyone else talking to us, too. "We'll never forget you or what you've reminded us of," called Abe and Elodie, Rosa and her friends and pokémon, Erin and the other Marching Rhydons leaders, and Kagome with Tag, Yer, and It.

"This place will never be the same, but in a good way!" informed Team Rocket, Nozomi and family, and Kelly.

We stood, team members side by side with team members, at all of this. We nodded and blushed a bit, then stood still as a blue-rimmed portal, big and wide, opened up behind us. We nodded again and turned, walking through.

As we turned, several certain people in the crowd gasped and ran to get closer. Kojiro and all the other real-worlders who'd fallen through and landed there scampered over.

"Everyone, together!" Ash called to the crowd, smiling. "Agents...are..."

**_"GO--OSU!!"_** shouted the throng, the camera getting a great shot of everyone we've cheered who are native to that world, as we left through the portal together with the real-worlders.

The camera faded to create one of the painted (Prismacolored penciled?) scenes, this one showing everyone and our retreating steps. _"And so,"_ the narrator returned, _"our heroes bade farewell to two fantastic groups of other heroes. Many adventures had been traveled, and many people met. Tragedies were averted, and relationships were rescued from the rocks. All while exploring the many wonders contained within the deep, ever-changing world of Pokémon."_

And the episode blacked out. And we could move normally again. I blinked and looked around. "Wow, for once the Pokémon world went faster than us," I muttered, looking back at the screen. We had all come out into the real world again. It felt so strange, so surreal...and it felt sort of happy, since it was one of those things where you hope so hard for it, you work so hard...but then you get there, and it's somehow not as happy as before.

"The portal will be closing in about five seconds," Diva Foxx informed us. "Keep away for safety." We noticed the voice was heard both here and on the screens.

"O SHI--" _Padda-puma-padda-buma._

"KI-O-SHIIIIII!!" _Patta-badda-fwoom._

"WOAH!" "YIEGHGG!" "WATCH IT!" _Kssh-kssh-kssh._

"WAII-AAII-AAAIIIT!!" _Bum-bum-bum._

On the screens we saw a bunch of people running from the crowd towards the slowly fading portal.

"UH-oh!" everyone went. Suddenly, something occurred to me. I turned around, digging into my coat, and called, "ASH!!" before chucking it high. "LOOK AFTER THIS FOR ME!!"

"Huh?" Ash saw a black, flat object fly through the air over the heads of the small train. "WOAH--!" He caught it just as the portal closed. He looked at it and gasped. "Woaaaah..."

_"Well! It seems as if this won't be the last we'll hear of the Ouendan or the Elite Beat Agents,"_ the narrator finished before the screen, for the first time in weeks, showed the words, TO BE CONTINUED in the bottom, like normal.

In Ash's hands was my badge.

-:-:-

An image of us, Agents on bottom and Ouendan on top, is visible. A crowd is heard cheering as a ring of the people we've cheered, some real and some not, appeared around us. (Some of them appeared to be meticulously hidden, for some reason.) The background was of the plateau.

-:-:-

Chieftan anger-veined, eyebrow twitching. "I'm happy you're all back," he grumbled. "But..."

He whipped up his head, above which was a massive pile of bodies big and small. "WOULD YOU ALL GET OFFA MY BACK?!" he roared, sounding more frightening than any demon we faced. With a bit of effort, we were able to obey his wishes. At last, when a normal person got off of him, Chieftan could stand, and he did so, brushing himself off. "Hmph. Thanks. Not."

"Chieftan?" Missy asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "What did those demons feed off of, hmm?"

He sighed aggravatedly. "They're GONE, now, so I can be grumpy that I was almost crushed by a mountain of flesh all I want," he reasoned, crossing his arms.

"Aw, shaddup and go play your ukelele," J waved his hand, smiling. He ducked and laughed, grabbing his pompadour down before it was chopped in two by Chieftan's swing.

"Would all you normal citizens of this world please exit those double doors over there," commanded Commander, pointing to some double doors. Kojiro and the other normal folk left.

On his way out, Kojiro smiled at Kioshi and said, in normal Japanese, "Good job."

Kioshi blushed and nodded, keeping a straight face. "Arigato," he replied. He allowed himself to smile a little after the only people around were "co-workers".

When they were all gone, Kahn sighed and sat. Standing beside him was Kai. "Kioshi, say something comfortably," he instructed.

Kioshi started at this before saying uncertainly, "Like this?" in Japanese.

Kahn nodded. "Thought as much," he mumbled.

"Kioshi, Suzu, Hibiki," addressed Doumeki.

"""Hai, Doumeki-sama!""" replied the three Ouendan like soldiers.

"Me and Commander Kahn do not think you and the Agents are able to understand one another in a common language like you could inside the Pokémon world," he told them in his native tongue. "Unless you can now speak in English as well as you can in Japanese, you might want me to translate for you these next few moments."

Kioshi shook his head. "Doumeki-sama, I could understand the dialouge between those two Agents and that Diva perfectly," he said in English.

"I could, too," Suzu attested, Hibiki nodding.

Kai nodded. "Then all the better," he said in English. "But if you are merely jumping the gun and need help, do not hesitate to ask."

"""Understood, Doumeki-sama!"""

Kahn nodded. "Good. Now that that's out of the way," he said, then turned to the crowd remaining as Kioshi was suddenly glomped to the floor by a great weight.

"UWOOF!" _WHAM!_

"OhmygoodnessIwassoWORRIEDaboutyoudon'teverdothatagainKioshi!!"

Everybody else in the room looked on, sweatdropping, as Dragonite, in all her glory, hugged and nuzzled Kioshi from atop him.

Kioshi gagged and squirmed. "Dragona--ite, please," he gagged, "you're...crushing...me..."

**"!!"** In an instant, she was off of him, and he was coughing and wheezing for a second before getting up, as well. She put a paw to her mouth, knitting her brow in worry. "Are you hurt? Did I break anything? Are you mad at me...?" she asked. Every word from her mouth, people noticed, was perfectly articulate English, as if she'd spoken it her entire life. When the young Ouendan spoke, though, they had a Japanese accent.

Kioshi shook his head, brushing himself off. "No, just tired," he answered, turning to look at her. She was about his height and DEFINITELY thinner than she ought to be. He looked concernedly at her.

Before he could voice it, though, Kahn cleared his throat, calling attention. "You all," he indicated with his finger, circling it around the new group, "are not supposed to be here. You realize just how much trouble you're now in?"

The new group consisted of Dragonite, Ursaring, Feraligatr, Zante, Vesp, Yena, Travis, Frank, and Dorian. They all looked a little guilty and many were sheepish, Travis the most.

"So?"

Everyone turned to see, hiding behind the small crowd, the skater kid from "Aisle 10". His earbuds were in, but hopefully off, and a can of black spray paint was in one of his cargo pockets. He was even wearing his roller blades. He crossed his arms and slouched, rolling his loose leg's skate forth and back. "Trouble's my middle name," he said.

"Really, now?" Kahn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hm. Anyway, all of you are in trouble in the general sense," he went on. "You're now trapped in this world, much like how my Agents and Doumeki-san's Ouendan were trapped in yours."

Travis sucked in air through his teeth while the others (mostly) made sounds of, "...Whoops...". "You can't open a portal to our world again?" he asked.

"Not unless we can pick up the right signal," Foxx said. "See, the way we opened the portal was by locking onto the weak signal that our Agents' badges gave off. It's like a foot in the door."

"Then let's hope Ash doesn't do anything TOO stupid sometime soon," I said, smirking and crossing my arms. Everyone turned to me. "Having a burst of inspiration, I threw my badge back to him before the portal closed up again."

Kahn sighed in relief. "Good work, Agent Lock," he said. "Thank you. Now, Foxx, open the portal again. We need to get these people home." This caused the newcomers to start a bit.

"Right." She went to crouch on the ground at her laptop when a big, white, furry foot stomped in front of her, stopping her.

"Now, wait just a darn minute!" shouted Zante, putting his paws on his hips and giving his best zangoose glare at Kahn. "You're the leader of the Elite Beat Agents, am I right?"

"Yes. I am Commander Kahn," Kahn replied, raising an eyebrow.

"And you're sitting in a room with more gadgets and gizmos than a Swiss Army Knife convention with full knowledge of how they work."

"Correct, though Diva Foxx, there, knows more about them than I do."

Zante spread his arms and leaned a bit forward to Kahn. "Then I HOPE you are smart enough to know that we all KNEW there was a danger in coming through that portal, but we came through, anyway, each for a very good reason!!" he scolded. "We didn't just haul butt like a bunch of idiots to just be sent home again! Hear us out, already!!"

Kahn sat back and looked to be thinking. He muttered something to Kai from the corner of his mouth. Kai muttered back. "Alright, you've got a point, Zante," Kahn said. "Everyone, state your reasons for being here. First the pokémon, then their friends."

But then, ANOTHER interruption occured. Chieftan cleared his throat. "May I just for a quick moment?" he asked, looking up.

"Quick."

"You and Doumeki realize that your employees have been wandering on foot for days on end, cheering like crazy, and have finally come home after the biggest cheer and mission of their lives to this point, right?"

At THIS, Kahn and Kai jumped a bit, raising their eyebrows. They then looked at each other, smirking and nodding. "Agents Lock, Meyers, and Hunter," Kahn addressed. "Front and center."

"Kioshi! Suzu! Hibiki!" called Kai.

"""YESSIR!!"""

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!"""

We all came into the center of a space formed by the people around. When we saw Kahn draw his arm back, half turning, we knew what was next.

Cue the victory theme of both groups!

"YEAAAAH!!"

"""OUEN!!"""

"DAI!"--CHUNG!

"SEI!"--CHUNG!

"KO!"--CHUNG!

"""MISSION COMPLETE!!"""

-

(...)

-

(WHOOO!! YEAAAHH!!! *clappity-clappity*)

Vrrrrrnnnn--Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk--

VWOOYYY-PSHH!!

(...)

TEUUSHH!!

-

--

---

""Well done, Agents, Ouendan,"" congratulated both leaders, smirking as the older of them sat back in his chair.

"You have all just essentially single-handedly led two worlds, let alone one, to save themselves and each other," Kahn described.

"That was the largest-effecting cheer in Ouendan history--as well as the largest-effecting mission in Agency history," informed Kai.

""You've deserved this return home, without a doubt.""

"""Thank you, sir!"""

"""Arigato, Doumeki-sama!!"""

Kahn nodded. "Now, then, we can discuss this mission later," he said, "but we must figure out what to do with the Pokémon worlders." He nodded to Dragonite. "Dragonite, why don't you begin?"

Dragonite stood, frowning seriously as she faced the Commander defiantly. "I will admit it right now, I love Kioshi," she announced. "I know that it could never work, but I care too much for him after traveling with him for so long. At the same time, I care too much for what he is and what he does after so long near him. If I cannot see him anymore, then I at least want to carry on the work he cannot do in my world!" She placed a paw on her chest, which was out a fair bit more than normal (which is not at all). "I have come through the portal to your world with the intent of becoming an Ouendan and starting my own squad made entirely of pokémon back home!!" she finally answered louder.

"I have come with her with the same goal in mind after spending so much time with kind Suzu!" Ursaring declared, nodding.

"I came to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!" Feraligatr answered, earning himself a swat upside the head. "Yow, that actually hurt a bit, watch it...Alright, I came because I want to be an Ouendan, too."

Kahn and Kai looked at each other, humming in thought together. "Next," Kahn said.

Zante took a step forward. "I came to watch after Travis and company, as well as finish the Human lessons of Yena and Dragonite and her friends, the latter of whom all have minds like steel traps when it comes to language, if I do say so, myself," he added, smiling proudly at his pupils, who blushed a bit but remained serious, staring up at Kahn and Kai.

"I DARE you to separate us," was all Vesp hissed, nearly Glaring at Kahn.

"Understandable," Kahn said. "Next?"

Yena stepped forwards from beside Travis. "I have come because my best friend, Travis Monkshood, came," he said. "And...as well..." He looked over at Dragonite, then gulped and nodded resolutely. "I...I...I want to try out to be an Ouendan, myself!!" he finally spat out, closing his eyes and bowing his head in embaressment.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "A quadripedal Ouendan? This will be interesting," he muttered.

Yena heard this and barked, "HEY! I can learn! If that little meowth could learn to stand on two feet, so can I!" He clenched his paws.

Kai's eye sparkled. "Hm."

"Now, Travis?" Kahn pointed.

Travis sighed, padding forth, tail still and moving only with the air. He looked resolutely at Kahn. "Commander Kahn, sir, your Agents have changed my life with one simple song by The Faders, 'No Sleep Tonight,'" he began. "I was cured of most the evil of my lycanthropy and found what happens when one helps another without doing anything but cheer in the way that Agents Lock, Meyers, and Hunter did for me. It astounded me--song and dance? Being used to help people do...ANYTHING they need to do?" He held his paws up to emphisize his emotions breifly before letting them fall again. "Then, it was because of them that I was able to be the first in my family to defeat the curse and make peace with my beast, whom I named Jet and who taught me many things about myself--including the power I have inside of me." He placed his paw on his broad chest, feeling his heart beating a mile a minute. "I want to help people," he said, looking down. "I want to help. And a gazillion other things, too, but...I can't say them all right now, since I can't really think of any you haven't heard without twisting my own words," he said a bit quietly. He looked up again and nodded resolutely. "I asked my friends and they helped me with my harebrained scheme to save my family using Hoobastank's 'Without a Fight', and it worked. I knew then and there what it was that I was meant to do! Sure, I can travel with my friends on their journey, but what will I do? Help!" He stomped a footpaw down in front of him before leaning on it and held a fist up. "Commander Kahn of the Elite Beat Agents, I hereby request that you allow me to try out to become an official Agent!!" He spoke loudly and confidently, throwing and opening his fist.

"I'm with him!" Dorian added, running forwards and standing by his friend's side.

"I'm really here for the food, but me, too!" half-joked Frank, coming to stand by his friend, too.

"We've worked long and hard to become Agents in our own right," Travis said, whipping off his slit-eyed shades and gazing up at Kahn with his expressive eyes. "We helped during that huge mission. I jumped in and pulled it off at the end of the Ouendan's last normal cheer before then. And we successfully saved Mom, Dad, and my brother from being killed--or worse--by those demons and that cloaked man!" He looked down at himself, a big, buff, hairy freak. "I know that my appearance in this form would concern any normal person we help," he said quieter, then looked up again, "but I'm going to make use of anything that this werewolf form can give me as an Agent and as a person! Please, give us the chance to join the Elite Beat Agents!!"

Kahn hmmmed in thought, taking a moment to consider this dramatic appeal. "Finally, you, Skater Boy?" he asked instead.

He scoffed and shrugged, smirking. "I'm the only one here who came with just for kicks," he answered. "Though, if it's cool with you, this Agent gig doesn't look half bad." He skated around the room a bit, putting a hand to his chin as he appraised the walls. "This place could use a bit of color, though," he commented.

"Think about it and you'll be shot on sight," Kahn warned firmly, quietly anger-veining.

The guy skidded and turned, waving his hands and raising his eyebrows. "Aight, aight, cool, I was jerkin' your chain, 's'all," he defended himself calmly.

Kahn appraised him a moment before nodding and looking at everyone. "We've got an interesting situation on our hands," he said finally. "On one hand, we have some potential recruits, both for the Agents and for the Ouendan. But on the other, we have the fact all said new recruits are from a different world and should be getting back as soon as possible before our worlds' times become so distant, you can't return to your own time...among other factors," he added. "For your own safety, I opt on sending you all home this instant."

"I disagree."

Everyone looked at Kai. "Reason being?" Kahn asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kai bowed his head, eyes closed. "We'd be mentally ill if we allowed such brightly-burning youths to get out of our reach," he answered. "I feel strong cheering force coming from Dragonite and Travis, both of whom are very determined to be Ouendan and Agent, respectively." He looked at the ones whom he spoke of before looking at Kahn. "Kahn, I propose we give them a chance, if at least to let them work as satelites."

"Satelites..." Kahn muttered, slouching low behind his steepled fingers. "...A team in the Pokémon world..." He nodded before sitting up again straight. "Dragonite, you are already prepared, but Travis, I will give you the chance to try for the Agency on ONE condition," he said.

"Being...?" Travis asked.

"You and your friends cannot be members of this Agency."

Travis yipped and took a step back in surprise. "Wh-HUH?!" he went. Then he growled, flattening his ears. "The hell does THAT mean? What're you trying to pull!?"

"Did I ever say that you cannot be Agents?" Kahn asked.

Travis stopped growling, ears coming back as he raised his eyebrows. "...No," he replied.

"Therefore, you would have to follow Dragonite's example and form your own team in your world," Kahn said. "Although it will not quite be your own team--it will be a branch of this Agency. You won't be part of the main EBA proper--you'd be the leader of your very own divison make exclusively for the Pokémon world."

Travis's jaw dropped--a very noticible event. "You...mean it?" he asked in awe. "Me? A leader of my own branch of the entire Agency? Wow..." He looked away and at his friends, then turned back. "Will this mean I have to stop traveling with my friends?" he asked.

Kahn shook his head. "You won't get your own building, only your own gear and other things that Agents carry at all times," he answered. "You will essentially do what Kioshi and Agent Lock did--travel around and help whoever happens to be nearby thanks to your own badges. You will, however, also carry any technology we develop that eases the travel between worlds." He nodded. "Travis, I am actually very keen on this idea. Your world is just as complex and free as ours, as much as the television wants us to think elsewise. I wouldn't doubt it in the least if there are people in need there, even this moment, who need someone to help them the way we do. You and anyone you recruit into your divison--which you'd run by me first, of course--will be the only Agents responsible for your world. Are you ready?" An eyebrow raise.

Travis smirked at the choice of words at the end. "I am," he nodded. "Guys?" he asked over his shoulder. "Sound good? We could continue your journies and help people at the same time."

Dorian raised an eyebrow, but nodded, nonetheless. "It sounds interesting," he admitted. "I'll do it."

"As long as we don't have to help out any muk," Frank criteriated (if that's a word). "I am NOT getting knee-deep in gunk and stink to high heaven for days afterwards."

"I can't make any promises," warned Kahn, smirking behind his hands.

Frank sighed, shaking his head. "You guys know I'd never leave you to do something stupid alone," he said, smiling. "I'm in."

Kahn nodded. "Then we will begin sometime soon," he said. "Good luck in advance." He looked at Kai. "Your territory, now."

Kai stepped forwards and uncrossed his arms, holding them at his sides similarly to a drum major. "Dragonite! Ursaring! Feraligatr!" he shouted.

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!""" responded the three pokémon, who quickly got into formation and resting positions similar to those of their human partners.

Kai narrowed his gaze. "And? You all believe you can become Ouendan and form your own team?" he asked in Japanese. "Do you think that you can handle the responsibility of every person who calls for your help? You will even need to get up in the middle of the night if there is nobody else to do it for you! Lead, respond!"

"HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!" Dragonite shouted back.

"Well? Are you ready to don the garb of one who cheers? You, who spend your lives walking naked? It will be quite difficult to get used to! Left backup, respond!"

"HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!" Ursaring yelled back.

"So? Are you ready to devote yourselves to learning not only the basic style of the Ouendan, but also forming your own unique way, as our former rival team from Morning Town has? Are you prepared to spend hours practicing and memorizing countless routines? Your arms will feel as if the bone is made of iron and the flesh made of lead! Right backup, respond!"

"HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!" Feraligatr called back.

"LIARS! YOUR WORDS MEAN NOTHING! SHOW ME!" Kai ordered, fire suffusing his face.

Dragonite didn't need to be told twice. In an instant, the Ouendan around her--and her backups--reflexively flinched as she suddenly unleashed a raging inferno from her body. The flames, visible by all of those in the room, licked the high ceiling above. She stood still, though, making no effort to visually increase the flow of spiritual fire.

"I've about had it with fire," I muttered, chuckling a bit. (And, yes, to my surprise, I knew exactly what they were saying, even though I had never been in a single episode in Japanese.)

Her backups soon followed suit, although their fire wasn't as high or strong as hers. Doumeki raised his eyebrows, impressed at Dragonite. "STOP!" he ordered. Instantly, they hid their fires. He nodded. "I believe you. You will have to do as Travis will, and make your own squad. You will have the same responsibilities, yet you will not have the luxury of being able to report to me every time you want to sneeze."

Kahn raised an eyebrow at him while me, Meyers, and Hunter did our damndest to not laugh, but he said nothing.

Kai continued, "You may consult with me or another wise Ouendan member, such as Ryuta, on the subject of potential recruits, but I trust that you will be able to feel it in your hearts. Use your gut instincts in detecting targets and other things! Expand your spiritual awareness while you train, which should already be strong with the nature pokémon have to see things humans cannot, as evidenced by the episodes! Respond!"

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!"""

"Then you are dismissed to rest!"

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!""" they all bowed.

Kai stepped back, looking at Kahn. "Your turn," he said in English, crossing his arms once more.

"Yena, skater boy, you will be allowed to rest, too, before you can try out, yourselves, but you will follow the rules we have set out," Kahn instructed. Yena and the punk nodded. "Then...All Agents and Divas, current and hopeful!" he barked.

"YESSIR!" came the enormous response.

"All but Lock, Meyers, Hunter! DIS-MISSED!"

"YESSIR!" All of the Agents besides me and my friends, potential Agents, and unaffiliated pokémon (read: Zante and Vesp) left through the double doors. As he passed by us, putting on his weird shades once more, Travis grinned to me. I smirked back.

When they had gone, Kahn looked at us. "You have endured the greatest mission any Agent has ever had," he said. "You have crossed the boundaries between worlds to help one target and ended up helping ten." (Remember? Erin, Paul, and Eliza counted as one each.) "All of this while traveling with characters from a world originally percieved as a fabrication of a Japanese man's mind that proved to be, in fact, a separate world where reality may operate on its own, unscripted and unplanned. You have endured many hardships and withstood a possession from a powerful demon." He looked especially at me at this. "Quite frankly, if you hadn't succeeded in everything you did and worked so hard, I would punish every one of you for weeks. You have NO idea what hell your parents have been giving me non-stop."

"Sir! That's why ya don't give our folks yo' numbah!" Hunter said.

Everyone not being talked to looked at Hunter and at Kahn. He only smirked. "I suppose that you're right, there," he said. He nodded and raised his head a bit. "Now! You are all VERY tired, I am sure! You have more than made up for the lack of missions you had earlier this summer with the missions you have done!"

At this, me and Meyers gasped. "Sir! What day is it?" I asked.

"August 14," came back the simple answer.

I was very surprised that every hair on the heads of Meyers and I didn't stand on end.

"Yes, you are being excused from Band Camp, given the circumstances, but delaying any longer would be unwise," he said. "And with that, I believe it is time that I congratulate you on being the first officially recorded dimentionauts and a job very well-done!"

"""Thank you, sir!"""

"Now! Get out and go home! A ride is waiting for you! Report back this weekend! DIS-MISSED!!"

"""YESSIR!!""" We turned and left out the double doors.

Meanwhile, behind us, Kioshi stood among the other Ouendan. "Kahn-san," he addressed.

"Hai?"

He looked a bit worried. "What about us and the other hopefuls?" he asked. "Are we going to get back home now? Or will we be waiting until we send back Dragonite and the others?"

"The latter," Kahn answered. "For now, you are welcome to stay here and use our facilities. In particular, we hope you enjoy the indoor park area," he added, raising his voice just a bit while looking directly at the pokémon.

They blushed and sweatdropped, but retained composure.

"With that, I cannot command you--only an Ouendan may do so. Doumeki?"

Doumeki nodded and shouted for the leader of the Bluendan to come up. "Do you give me your blessing?" he asked. The white-haired, cape-wearing leader nodded. Doumeki looked at Suzu and Hibiki. "Suzu! Hibiki!" he shouted.

""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!""

"You are officially allowed to join the Evening Town Ouendan!" he announced. "You are given special permission to continue using whatever style you prefer, however, though you must wear our uniforms...though you have a choice whenever your leader is Kioshi!"

Suzu and Hibiki looked at each other, then nodded and replied, ""ARIGATO, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!""

"You canNOT let me or your teammates down, though you have performed admirably on the show!" Doumeki said firmly. "Is it understood you will give nothing but your best?"

""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!""

"Then welcome to the squad!" He bowed breifly, and was returned the gesture. "NOW! Evening Town Squad and future squad!"

"HAI!"

"Morning Town Squad!" the Bluendan leader shouted.

"HAI!"

""IKUZE!!""

"HAI!!"

All of the Ouendan left the room. Kioshi hung back and walked beside Dragonite. "Thank you for coming," he said quietly.

"You think you can get rid of me that easily?" Dragonite asked softly.

"Not really," Kioshi muttered before the doors closed and Kahn was alone in the room.

He sat still for a moment before turning around to the screens. "...They are all devoted to it." Kahn paused a moment. "...They will be good Agents and Ouendan." Another pause. "Good." He stood and turned around as he came down from his desk. He went to the double doors, putting a hand on the light switch. He looked out around the room. "I can tell that we're going to need them and everyone else sooner than they think."

_Click._

-

I sighed, flopping my head against the headrest of the passenger-side seat as we drove off. "It's over," I whispered. "It's finally over."

"So, sick of that suit yet?" asked J, who was driving us.

I chuckled. "It's fireproof, waterproof, and pikaproof," I said. "I love this thing."

"Not to mention evil demon-proof," J added. "Oh, wait, that's the guy IN the suit."

"...That was corny," I said.

"Sorry, it's just been a long day for me," J apologized, chuckling.

I laughed. "A long day for YOU?!" I asked, smiling at him incredulously. "We've been up for God knows how long! I've been possessed for the last week! You have no IDEA what the definition of 'long day' is!"

He sighed, shaking his head smilingly. "No," he said, "I guess I don't."

We splashed through a puddle on the side of the road while a cool downpour drenched the city.

- - -

Note: Why they could speak in the pokémon world easily. They were in the dub and the demons' power was enabling them to be heard all around the world, even if through subtitles. Besides, the pokémon world speaks a different language than Japanese or English, so, like visitors to all worlds, translation immediatly occurs.

In a side note, let's all do the monkey and celebrate the end of this hell!! WHOOO!!

...

...Oh, wait, one more chapter. Damn.


	4. FINAL CHAPTER COMMENT ON REAL PLZ!

_____

(30)_*_*_( ) (Epilogue) (Postlude) (Afterword)

(Take your pick.)

Well, life finally wound down a little bit. I had a nice, LOOOONG rest at home, skipping a day of Band Camp in favor of staying home for once. This didn't turn out to be the GREATEST of decisions, seeing as Mom yelled at me for all that I did whilst possessed and for leaving in the first place. But I got to stay in a nice, air-conditioned house. We had to haul ass to catch up with the rest of the band, but that was after the Heroes' Welcome me and Jordan (Meyers) got. We were able to catch on, though. While we marched, I couldn't help but think about the Marching Rhydons, and the worm in my head was most often "Move Along". I was asked if I was thinking about that song by someone, actually, and I laughed and replied, "And you wouldn't be?" I also thought about Charlie, and breifly wondered what he'd be doing once marching season ended.

Otherwise, me, Jordan, and Barry (Hunter) all settled back into ordinary life at home with pleasure...well, for the first week and a half. Then we got bored again and decided to call HQ and tell them we were ready. But during that time, we always thought back to our journey.

Oh, the show! Yeah, there were some SERIOUS issues with the CN, the Pokémon anime's current dubbing company, 4Kids Entertainment (because their VA's were the ones heard), and, of course, Nintendo, GAME FREAK, and The Pokémon Company. It took a while before the last three corporations mentioned were able to convince everyone that it was completely accidental, since it was obviously some weird thing that was beyond anyone's control. So, Cartoon Network made the best of it and asked to sell the episodes we and the Ouendan were in on a DVD set. It was already selling pretty fast when we got back to HQ.

Meanwhile, the show itself appeared to go back to normal. They showed the episodes made by Japan, no more of the "live" episodes. There was some force that always made the "live" episodes show instead of the planned ones, and we suspected it had something to do with us and the Ouendan being there, and the power of the Hatemongers. However, the world we went to was still alive, still operating on its own. It was slowing down, though--when we checked in on my old badge one day and then two others, Ash asked why we were calling every hour. "It must still be connected to our world somehow," theorized Diva Foxx. "Maybe it's waiting for the episodes to catch up with it? See, incedentially, there haven't been any new episodes out of Japan since you came back. They've been taking a rest to think about things."

"I recently heard on that they were going to make new episodes again soon," Missy said at the meeting where Foxx gave her theory. "What'll happen? Are we going to see some fake story while the real one goes on, then?"

Foxx shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "We'll see."

"But...it'd feel like we're getting gyped if we have to go back to a world that's no longer in its own control," said Zante, who, after much pleading from the Divas to Kahn, was allowed to sit in on the meetings as a representative of his world. "And if we're not supposed to be back home when we want to--heck, I doubt we'll EVER be allowed back home if the writers have their way--we'll be stuck here no matter what."

"We'll see," Kahn said.

So we did. Three days later, Japan released a new episode. It was quite interesting--it turns out that the creators still had complete control over the events of the world, but they chose only to use it when needed. It appears that Ash is, quite frankly, an adventure magnet by nature. And, since the episodes we were in always were, in some way, shown like normal episodes, most people couldn't tell the difference. The way the creators pulled this off was by the fact they had known what was going on at all times. They said in an interview released in the next month's issue of many Japanese and anime/manga/video game magazines, "It was strange, yet cool. It felt like people were walking through our heads and that we were imagining, but without being able to stop or control anything. It was like a partially real dream in our brains. Now, we don't feel the people walking, and we now have control again, but we don't think we'd like to abuse this control. It's actually an honor to think the world we shaped together to the time when the Elite Beat Agents accidentially invaded it is actually able to be its own world in its own right."

Also, we found that, once the new episodes were airing, it appeared as if Ash and company were ahead by a couple days of the last episode. "Probably to 'film' things and do post-production," half-joked J. Ash got our calls more or less at the same rate we gave them, as well.

The characters were the same, too, but a little different. Team Rocket, despite the Ouendan's best efforts, still tried to steal Pikachu, but instead of being whiney about it sometimes, they appeared to be a little more mature, doing things with more effort. Ash was the same, seeing as he's able to set aside major happenings into the past and not let them affect him too much in his quest (as evidenced by the lack of in-anime references to all but the second movie). He still traveled, and he went along the guidelines the creators of the show set for him--in other words, the path of the Diamond and Pearl games. They met a new character each episode, which focused on a different pokémon, and they were able to solve their problems and stop Team Rocket. Things were normal.

But things weren't quite normal at HQ. Seeing as everyone was sticking around from the show to try out, there were interesting situations to be had, as well as new friendships to be made between Agents, Divas, and the Evening Ouendan (the Morning squad reasoned that, since they were basically only faintly involved, they could leave home, and did so). Travis spent equal amounts of time in human and werewolf forms, and he was a little unnerved when Missy obviously had her eye on the former of the two. Frank and Dorian, when they weren't sitting around, practicing for their tryout, or interacting with the new world around them, were busy training, which provided for many of those interesting situations since they could never find a suitible place to train.

More situations included things like wolf fur floating around the building and being discovered in food no matter where it was kept (there was also pokémon fur, but wolf fur was the major issue); poor Zante and Vesp being unable to sit somewhere and avoid PUBLIC displays of affection thanks to the security cameras; the pokémon finding a place to use the bathroom (Dragonite, to everyone's surprise, decided to toilet train herself and did so in a jiffy, proving her mind's like a steel trap for more than just language); and Rudy, as the skater kid's name was, being chased around by Cheiftan, J, Spin, and the other senior Agents while he skated off on his blades, spraying (mercifully washable) paint on the walls and managing to somehow create astounding graffiti in very short amounts of time.

But what was most intesting was when we got back to HQ. We had a couple days to say hi to all of the other-worlders again, which we actually liked despite having to meet MORE pokémon folks (we admitted that we were still a little tired of pokémon), as well as see what they were doing. Travis, Frank, and Dorian were hard at work, perfecting and practicing their moves, styled to be a bit more graceful than ours, and a new routine. Whenever they practiced in uniform, Travis transformed into a wolf, justifying it with the fact his tail had made a hole in his pants the first time. Dragonite was leading her two pokémon friends, Ursaring and Feraligatr, ferociously with moves she'd copied from her Ouendan friend and a routine. However, it appeared as if they were working on creating new move styles. Their corner arrow stomp was a blend of Evening and Morning, coming out smooth like Evening style but going to the angle that the Morning style goes, and the most-used Ouendan move was different, as well. Instead of going from the chest or behind the head, they stopped their paws at their shoulders before doing any of the double arm throws. In general, they created their style as a blend of the freedom of Evening and the militarism of Morning.

Working together with the Pokédan, as everyone around the building had come to lovingly call them, were their friends, Kioshi, Suzu, and Hibiki. When we came back the first day, they were in normal clothing instead of their gakurans. I was also able to talk with Kioshi, which I'll get to later. Dragonite, despite having deep affections for Kioshi, was actually very mature and able to act professional in front of her crush. We decided to take that day to work together with Travis, Frank, and Dorian. We went over basic tips and ran a routine with them. That same day, I recieved my new badge. I was slightly surprised that I hadn't gotten a promotion, but, remembering what I had learned, I shoved that aside and was happy to get a new badge. During a break in the session with the ametures, Travis came over to me.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, in human form because practice was sweaty enough without fur. His hair must have been killing him, though. He looked a bit concerned.

I smiled. "I'm feeling great," I answered. "It's tiring to be doing Show Band each day before work, but it's worth it."

He smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah, I guess," he said. He looked serious. "I was talking about your spirit, though," he told me.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh?"

He held a hand out. "I can have Jet connect with you to search for any traces," he explained. "You know what I mean, right?"

I caught my breath a smidge as I got it. "Yeah..." I grimaced and turned my head. "That demon."

"Would you like him to check on you?" he inquired, tilting his head like a dog.

I nodded. "Yes, that would be great," I accepted.

So, later that day, we went through the process--the easiest way being me going to sleep and him using his powers. When Jet entered my dreams, they ended and I was granted lucidity. I was floating around in black space when he suddenly landed down on the ground, distant and invisible below, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. 'HOLY MOTHER OF--!!' I squawked, flailing my arms and legs.

He let out a deep laugh. "I apologize, it was irresistable," he told me. He then lowered his head to look at me with those enormous eyes. I felt like I'd be lost in them. 'Now, then, I will proceed with the search, if you don't mind,' he said before giving me a big, soaking kiss.

'Yeeeeuuugh,' I groaned, looking at my suit and soaked body. 'That's part of the search?' I asked.

He wagged his tail. 'Yes and no,' he answered, smiling. 'I could have just sniffed your consciousness, but I wanted to express my own thanks. If it weren't for you, Travis couldn't have ever overcome my eviler self and allowed me to be true. See, the Hatemongers have always hated werewolves' chance to escape their evil. So, they always set one or two on each wolf to power up their beast and make sure they lose.' He looked away, looking ashamed. 'Though it in turn makes a powerful enemy for the demons should the purification process be completed, as represented by my size, most of the time...us beasts are successful in capturing the body's controls, killing the rightful owner.' He shuddered, sending a ripple down his fur from face to tail before looking back up at me, smiling again. 'But the energy you gave Travis with your performance prevented such a kind young man from falling victim to lycanthropy, and for this, I thank you--not just for me being alive as I am today.'

I smirked and nodded. 'Just doing my job,' I told him.

He bowed his head, smiling amazingly adorably. 'I swear to assist Travis in his efforts as much as I can,' he promised. 'And, as a service to you in thanks, as well as a wise choice regardless, my slurp gave you an ability, as well.'

I raised my eyebrows and looked at my (now-dry) body. 'Really? What, can I turn into a wolf, too?' I asked.

He chuckled. 'No, but you can call one,' he answered. 'Me. If ever you want to communicate with me or Travis through me across the boundaries of space and time, you need only concentrate on the thought of talking to me before you fall asleep. It might take a bit of dream time, but you'll eventually remember and call me, instilling lucidity instantly. Just...' He sweatdropped and grinned sheepishly. 'Try to remember when you're presentable, since I'll be coming directly into the dream. And a climate place would be helpful, as well.'

I chuckled nervously at this. 'I...can't guarantee it,' I said, putting a hand behind my head. 'But thanks,' I nodded. 'I'll be sure to use it. Sounds like it'd come in handy.'

'Oh, I assure you, it will,' Jet said, giving a wolfish grin. 'Now, I shall REALLY proceed with searching your being for any traces of the demon. Try to amuse yourself, since this'll take a while.' He then stood and started to sniff, as if finding a trail, around the dark chamber of my inner self.

It took a while, but he found not a trace of the demon. He tilted his head in confusion. 'That's odd,' he muttered. 'Powerful as that final cheer was, there likely wasn't enough force to allow you to destroy it entirely. I thought we would have to exorcise you...'

'But I saw some bits of the demon enhancing my hatred fade back into my mind,' I protested. 'How can you not find it?'

He shook his head. 'It must have been your native hatred that you saw fade back. Did it appear duller than the demon?'

'Um...yeah, actually,' I answered, a bit surprised he knew that much, spirit or not.

'Then it was your own hatred,' he deducted. 'It's harmless. Well...you know what I mean,' he chuckled. He shrugged. 'But it would be nice to see why you got to defeat that thing entirely on your own.'

I nodded. 'That it would,' I agreed.

He smirked and lifted his snout a bit. 'I DID find something RELATED to the demons, though, left,' he said a bit sneakily.

I raised my eyebrows and started. 'Wh-WHA? What? I don't want it!!' I said, feeling a bit scared. 'I don't wanna get possessed again!'

Jet laughed, shaking his head. 'No, it's not that sort of related,' he assured me. 'It's related only in that it was used by the demons. It's actually a neutral power, one that is attributed to spirits, like me, and not heaven or hell. It is interesting that it remained within you.'

'What is it?' I asked.

He smiled and told me. I dropped my jaw. 'It is up to you whether you choose to explore its use or not,' he told me. 'I will leave it to you to learn how to use it.' He then leaned over and pressed my body very gently with his nose, rubbing as minisculy as he could. He NUZZLED me, making me, a happy dog owner, blush a little bit. 'And now, we part,' he said. 'You've been asleep for fourty-five minutes.'

'Yipe! I thought it'd only take an hour in the worst-case scenario!' I exclaimed. 'I gotta wake up and get going or I'll be even LATER!'

He smiled and chuckled. 'Well, for now, farewell,' he said.

'Toodles!' I waved. 'And thanks!'

'It was my pleasure.' He bowed as best as any dog could, then faded away. Seconds later, I woke up.

Later on, I eventually caught Kioshi and spoke with him about the journey. We sat and sipped sodas in the cafeteria. He told me about his experience and his reason for going, which was much like mine--duty. "I knew that I was able to help," he said, "and I was able to make good on that ability thanks to the portal. But..." He looked away, a bit embarrassed. "I...I couldn't do it on my own..." He sighed. "I was useless."

"You know why?" I asked, tilting my head and putting a hand on my chin. I let a finger brush against my peachfuzz mustache.

"Why?" he asked, looking back at me.

I smirked.

He gave a small "heh" as he smiled a little distantly. "You meant me when you mentioned confidence in yourself during the cheer, didn't you?" he asked. I nodded. He nodded. "I see now. After that, I thought about it and talked it over with my leader. He and the other Ouendan were of the same mind: I need to have more confidence in myself. I'm just a bit too modest; I have to be confident that I can deliver when others place their trust in me." He looked at his hands, which had so long been in white gloves. "My talent to cheer...I have to have more faith that I can succeed."

"And that's how your cheers become even better," I told him, smiling and nodding. I chuckled before my smile turned wry. "I actually think I'm the opposite of you. I, frankly, had more faith in myself than my teammates, and I felt a bit hypocritical that day when I said to have confidence in others."

He nodded vigorously. "Yes! You must ALWAYS trust your teammates while you're cheering someone on," he said. "That is, when you're alone, of course. See, when you're in a proper squad, you are able to reach out and pluck anyone out of trouble and set them on the right path, no matter how much trouble they are in. If you can't trust your partners to be able to do their jobs, then you can't do it right. As the lead, we have to have more faith than normal."

"And we also have to have more self-confidence," I added, waggling my finger and eyeing him, letting him glimpse my eye. "If we have to trust them to do their jobs, they have to trust us to ours, and if we don't trust ourselves, then it all might fall apart. Only the best of backups can carry on the cheer when their leader is gone, as Meyers and Hunter did when I was on the--" There I stopped, memory catching me. "...Fritz..."

We shared a moment of silence. (We had both watched the episodes of the other, so he knew of my encounter with the spiritual kind.)

"I am glad that you are truly humble," he told me. "Your overconfidence was brought out and enhanced, but your inner humility won out when you had to be serious."

I smiled faintly and nodded. "Yeah," I said. "...I guess I was just remembering how I noticed Fritz was not with Kelly during the cheer."

"He passed on. You helped him do that."

I nodded and felt compelled to pray for him briefly. After I did, I felt better again. "Haaahh, here I am, talking with a guy from the coolest country on Earth, and I'm getting all sentimental," I said, sounding humorous.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Heh, don't worry, that happens," he said.

We talked more about our journeys.

"What was the hardest part about your journey?"

"Walking around without knowing when we'll have to cheer someone on, if you're ever going to find the people you're after, or how many battles you'll have to face that day, all while keeping an eye out for places to rest and wearing a sweaty black outfit. You?"

"Ummm...either being possessed or having to dash at top speed all around the place to get to spots when our missions came up--even if they were miles away."

"What was the best part about your journey?"

"I guess maybe the fact I got to come face-to-face with pokémon, which I'm kinda tired of after so much work there and some minor aftereffects of when I was possessed, I'll admit."

"Mine was probably the relationships I formed with my backups and our pokémon friends, as well as with some of the targets."

"What was your favorite mission--er, cheer?"

"m-flo Loves Toku and DOUBLE, 'Life Is Beautiful', definitely, because Jazz music kicks absolute ass."

"Too right!"

*hand slap-grab*

"I also liked it because of the unique and powerful situation. It would've been bad if they'd gotten arrested, and she would've been condemned by their mother if she failed. I was glad they succeeded, though, and the mother was fine with it. What about you?"

"I think it was Bill Chase's 'Get It On', since, as well, it's Jazz, and because it was just so crazy. A lone man handling an oversized kangaskhan who actually was his girlfriend? You don't see THAT every day."

"And your least favorite?"

"Hmmm...I think Gwen Stefani's 'The Sweet Escape', though it was pretty hard to pick just one. I don't like that one because it was so late at night and I wanted to sleep. Sure, it was to help someone clear their name, but...yikes."

"Heh...Well, I think my least favorite was HYDE's 'SEASON'S CALL', because we were hot, cranky, HUNGRY, and it was not the best choice for the situation, not to mention it was the most boring of the songs I've cheered."

"Who do you want to meet again at least once?"

"I think I'm most concerned about Kagome and her charges, but I think that the kids are on the way to becoming Slashers...So...I think I'm worried most about the one target I didn't get to see be better."

"...Kotetsu."

We were silent for a moment. I sipped my drink before saying, "He turned out alright, actually. Didn't you watch that episode?"

Kioshi scoffed. "Have you seen any of yours?" he asked. "Watching yourself in a show, knowing you did things unscripted but with everything being shown as if it sort of was. Weird beyond belief."

I nodded. "I guess so." He looked inquiring, so I went on, "He ended up somewhere in a city, changed into a human. He found a girl and became friends with her. He doesn't remember anything about what happened."

He sighed in relief. "I'm glad," he said. "I still want to meet him again, though. Just to see."

"Well, for me, I think it's probably Sooteye."

"Sooteye?"

"Sooteye, the snorlax skater. TELL me that doesn't scream, 'What's he doing now?'. Besides, I want to see how safe him and the pack are, and how he and the Street Blazers got to be friends."

"Fair enough. Would you want to go back?"

"...Someday, that'd be cool, yeah. It was an adventure--you don't get to go on those every day."

"We kinda do, with cheers and missions. But I understand, and I agree. I want to explore that world and experience it fully."

"What about the final songs? Your thoughts?"

"It was the scariest cheer of my entire life. But, dammit, I wouldn't have run even if someone would have taken my place, no matter how unconfident I was. I wasn't about to let even ONE world fall victim to the Hatemongers. It was amazing, too--all of those people working together, using the fire we gave them to create a counter to the kind used by the demons. Truly phenomenal."

"The thing that sticks out in my mind is how I was suddenly aware of everything only after you pushed me aside."

He raised his eyebrows, and I raised one. "Nani?" he went.

I smirked. "I found myself inside my head and in front of my own hatred almost right after you got hit," I told him. "'I' being the real me, my consciousness that you're talking to right now. I was also able to defeat my possessor entirely and break free, something that was very unlikely given I was only empowered by the cheering of the crowd, according to Jet."

"Jet...Travis's beast, right?"

"Right."

"Well, I have a confession," Kioshi said, smirking. He grabbed the salt, poured a little into his pants pocket, then stood up. Then, he slowly went through what he did, and as he did, I imagined flashes of the actions he did on that day.

He first did the turning arrow stomp, and I visualized it: He turned towards me, one side facing away from Master JUST as his hand went by his gakuran pocket. As it did, in slow motion, I saw him reach in and grab a handful of salt. Then, he did the running hand clap. As he did, I saw him do it very carefully, using physics to hold the salt against his palm before switching which hand held it by tilting them just enough so that, as he ran forwards with hands out, the one holding the salt, now, went right for the eyes floating behind me.

"A-HAH!" I cried triumphantly, holding a finger up as he finished the reenactment and came back. I grinned. "You WEAKENED him and distracted him long enough for me to break free by hitting his eyes with the salt!"

He nodded, arms crossed. "Yes. I planned it with the others while the awards ceremony went on," he explained. "Travis had said that his parents' beasts had been enhanced by the demons. So, your own inner beast, so to speak, must have been enhanced. Since we couldn't cheer you on without looking like we were betraying the people, we instead thought to try hitting you with salt to at least weaken it and to give you a chance. I knew that Master would stop me if I wasn't surreptitious, so I came up with that little plan should the need arrive. I was glad you were right beside me, since it was the easiest one to do secretly. I'm also glad that Ash started to cheer you on, which apparently affected you in a fairly deep way...?"

I smiled. "Yeah, seeing someone still believe in you no matter what...it was moving, goody-two-shoes or not," I confirmed.

He nodded. "I'm just relieved that it worked," he said. "As Travis's episode coined, 'Behold the power of condiments.'" He smirked at this.

"Behold, indeed," I agreed.

We then talked about different things, then, and became good friends. We exchanged IM addresses before leaving off again.

The next day, we saw the hopefuls in uniform as they practiced once more. It appeared that they had found old gakurans for the pokémon, and had cut holes to allow them to wear them. They couldn't find any suitable shoes, but they were assured that they would receive custom-made ones should they succeed. Their gloves were fingerless and, for Dragonite and Ursaring, little more than glove-material socks with holes. The wannabe Agents were in Agent suits, full ones. Travis was told to wear his own pants, though, since he insisted on working in wolf form and we didn't want to waste money on a hole-backed pair of pants he might use only once.

And then the day came. We waited outside the doors of the briefing room before we were allowed in. When we came, I saw a broadly-grinning Travis, showing every one of his bright, white teeth.

"And now, Agents Lock, Meyers, Hunter," Kahn said as we came in and addressed him, "come forth and take these." We came up and took each a badge. "Present them to them."

"""YESSIR!""" We spun on our heel and walked over to the three. We stopped in front of our same-position prospective Agents and held out the badge. They each took it.

"And now I welcome you to the status of Elite Beat Agents..." Kahn said, pausing for effect. "...Agents Garret--" Dorian looked up. "--Turner--" Frank looked up. "--and..."

Travis grinned as his codename was announced, to nobody's surprise, "...Wolf!"

"""THANK YOU, SIR!""" they all said in unison.

"Now, then, about this new branch," Kahn said. "I have thought for a while and have decided on it. You will be allowed to consult with Starr, our resident designer, on uniforms, but your sect has been decided by me. So now, I am proud to declare you the first members of the EBA-P..." He narrowed his eyebrows as he clarified it.

"The Elite Beat Agents - Pocket Division!!"

And the rest, as they say, is history.

-

Kioshi waited patiently before he heard his leader call him and his friends in. They stepped in and found no spoiling expression on their pokémon friends' faces. "Kioshi! Suzu! Hibiki!" Doumeki Kai shouted.

They snapped to attention. """Hai, Doumeki-sama!"""

"Be ready!" Then, "Dragonite!"

"Hai, Doumeki-sama!"

"Feraligatr!"

"Hai, Doumeki-sama!"

"Ursaring!"

"Hai, Doumeki-sama!"

"You are not worthy of becoming Ouendan!"

At this, Kioshi froze. He knew Dragonite must have done the same behind him. 'But...But...!'

"How could you ever expect to be accepted as one who cheers with those moves? Begone, you disgraces to the Evening Ouendan!"

**"!"** Dragonite widened her eyes. "Doumeki-sama! We do not desire to be apart of either the Evening or Morning Ouendan!"

"You DON'T?!" Doumeki roared, fire flaring. Kioshi let a gulp go down quietly.

Seconds passed. Then,

"Why didn't you just say so?! Baka! Then why are you standing like teams you wish not to be?!"

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!!""" the three pokémon shouted. Then, as one, they changed their ready positions. Now, they stood at a variation of the To the Ready position from marching band. They cupped their right fist in their left paw, spread their legs the distance apart that Ouendan rest positions dictate, and looked up, ready.

Doumeki nodded curtly. "Now, you are MORE than qualified to become Ouendan of your own! Congratulations, Dragonite, Feraligatr, and Ursaring!" He looked at the humans. "IKUZE!"

"""HAI! IKUZE!!""" they shouted, skidding into position in front of them (all from one side since they couldn't do their normal thing from their former location). """SAN! NI! ICHI! SURE!""" And the Ouendan anthem played as they did their practiced congratulatory routine. As they were trained, they repeated the anthem after the singing and watched the ones in front join in.

"IKOYA!"--""IKUZE!!""

"""SAN! NI! ICHI! SURE!!"""

The Pokédan copied their movements perfectly in their own style. At the end of the singing, they paused while Doumeki shouted, "WHO ARE YOU?"

""OSU!!""

""TATAKAE!!""

""OUENDAN!!""

_"HUH!"_ They thrust their fists out before standing at rest. Kioshi and the former Bluendan, still in Morning Town uniform, got out of the way.

"Speak with Lindhurst-san about your uniforms, as you cannot be Evening or Morning Ouendan if you are your own Ouendan, and decide upon your team's name!" commanded Doumeki. "You are also responsible for any new recruits! If you need to, then contact me or another trustworthy Ouendan and bring them. Good luck!" He thrust out his arm. "DISMISSED! OSU!"

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA! OSU!!""" They punched, too. Then, without another word, they filed out of the room they were allowed to use.

"You are dismissed, as well!" Doumeki told the humans.

"""HAI, DOUMEKI-SAMA!""" And they left, as well.

Kioshi ducked as soon as he exited the room, feeling the fwoosh of air above him as the orange, cap-wearing Dragon-type soared in a glomp. He laughed as she landed on the floor in a slamming grunt, sliding on her front a bit. She jumped up and turned, glaring, before laughing, too. "Good job, Dragonite!" Kioshi complimented, coming over and hugging, this time. "You'll make a great Ouendan!"

"Thanks, Kioshi," she said gently. While speaking normally, her voice was deep, as dragonites' voices usually are, but still obviously feminine. "I'll do my best!"

"You'd better, otherwise you'll have a heck of a hit on your conscience," Kioshi warned, smirking.

Dragonite smiled at him, blushing a bit. "I'll never forget you, Kioshi," she told him. "Thank you for everything."

"Not a problem," Kioshi welcomed. "Now, then, why don't we all get some lunch?" he suggested.

"I SO second that!" Ursaring said, raising his arm in approval.

- - -

Full Story Playlist:

0. (Prologue, Extra) School Gym: **-:-School Haze! Worst Presentation EVER!!-:-** Yellowcard – Lights and Sounds

1. Brett: **-:-Surf's Up! Find the Lost Love through the Storm!!-:-** Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue

2. (Bonus) Julian: **-:-End of the Sweet Dreams? Save the Shop!!-:-** Christina Aguilera – Candyman

3. Ash: **-:-Team Rocket Strikes Again!! Mission in Another World?!-:-** OK Go – Here it Goes Again

4. Kojiro: **-:-Break Tradition!! Will Both Parties Be Happy?-:-** FLOW – GO!!

5. Charizard (OT: Ash): **-:-Use the Anger! Rescue Those Who Scorned You!!-:-** Bivattchee – Taiyou no Mannaka he

6. Travis: **-:-Supernatural Frightfest! No Winchesters Here!!-:-** The Faders – No Sleep Tonight

7. Marin: **-:-Breakout!! Make Like Shawshank and Then Some!!-:-** Gwen Stefani ft. Akon – The Sweet Escape

8. (Bonus) Erin, Paul, and Eliza: **-:-Forward March!! One Time at Band Camp!!-:-** The All-American Rejects – Move Along

9. Benishirina: **-:-Defend the Spring!! Can Both Relationships Be Saved?-:-** HYDE – SEASON'S CALL

10. Sooteye: **-:-A Truly Extreme Challenge!! Skate For Your Home-:-** Smash Mouth – All Star

11. Rosa: **-:-Go For the Sky-borne Heart! A Battle to Earn Friendship?-:-** Izawa Asami – FLY AWAY

12. Nozomi: **-:-Housewife Woes! Crash Course in Parenting!!-:-** Kimura Kaela – happiness!!!

13. (Extra) Rebecca: **-:-Party Poopers!! Stop the Chaos!!-:-** Vengaboys – We Like to Party!

14. (Bonus) Cecil: **-:-Supermarket Situation! Be Brave and Prove It!!-:-** Scapegoat Wax – Aisle 10 (Hello Allison)

15. (Unofficial) (Zante): **-:-So, You Want to Be an Agent? Free Your Inhibitions and ROCK!!-:-** FerreTrip – Let Loose

16. Kagome: **-:-There's More to Life!! Will They Listen for Once?-:-** m-flo Loves Toku and DOUBLE – Life Is Beautiful

17. Fritz (and Kelly): **-:-An Unwritten Letter-:-** Seal – Kiss From a Rose

18. (Bonus) Antonio, Lenore, and Johnny: **-:-Lycantastrophy! Fight for Your Lives!!-:-** Hoobastank – Without a Fight (Full Version)

19. (Secret) Kotetsu: **-:-Break Free! Can a One-Day-Old Escape Fate?-:-** BEAT CRUSADERS – GHOST

20. Abe: **-:-Oh, Snap, It's the 5-O! Playing Cops and Monsters!!-:-** Bill Chase – Get It On

21. Jessie, James, and Meowth (and Wobbuffet): **-:-Get to Work! A Steel Ball between Two Magnets!!-:-** Hikaru Utada– KEEP TRYIN'

22. Both Worlds: **-:-The Grand Finale?! Two Worlds' Last Shot!! Part 1-:-** Yoko Kanno – RISE

23. Both Worlds: **-:-The Grand Finale?! Two Worlds' Last Shot!! Part 2-:-** Aqua (Barbie Young remix) – Cartoon Heroes (Speedy Mix)

**FINAL COUNT:**

Agents: 15 + 1

Ouendan: 10

Our Hard-Working Agent and Ouendan Teams and Their Mission(s)/Cheer(s)

Agents J, Morris, and Derek: 0

Gregory, Jordan, and Barry: 0

Agents Lock, Meyers, and Hunter: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14, 17, 20, 23

Agents Meyers and Hunter (duet): 22

Agents Chieftain, Morris, and Derek: 13

Travis, Frank, and Dorian: 15, 18(, 23)

Kioshi, Saito, and Suzuki: 4

Kioshi (solo): 5, 22

Kioshi, Suzu, and Hibiki: 5, 9, 11, 12, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23

Dragonite, Feraligatr, and Ursaring: (23)

Probable Official Game Playlist (Songs Only):

1. happiness!!! - Ouendan

2. Ocean Avenue - Agents

3. SEASON'S CALL - Ouendan

4. Taiyou no Mannaka he - Ouendan

5. The Sweet Escape - Agents

6. Here It Goes Again - Agents

7. KEEP TRYIN' - Ouendan

8. All Star - Agents

9. Life Is Beautiful - Ouendan

10. No Sleep Tonight - Agents

11. FLY AWAY - Ouendan

12. Kiss From a Rose - Agents

13. GO!! - Ouendan

14. Get It On - Agents

15. RISE – 3 Ouendan-2 Agents-1 Ouendan

16. Cartoon Heroes (Speedy Mix) - Agents and Ouendan

B1. Move Along - Agents

B2. Candyman - Agents

B3. Without a Fight (Full Version) - Agents

AAAAAAAND that's a WRAP! WHOO!! It's OVER!! THANK you for reading this story, all those who have. It's been a long, weird journey, starting with fantasy missions, and ended up becoming a labor of love, especially in these last chapters. I hope to God that this has all helped me with my short story skills--I mean, Get It On was actually a short story for class. Too long, though, still. I need to learn to shut the heck up. But, anyway, I wanna thank you and tell you that, yes, there is more. But it's a different fic, not this one, for my sanity. Please keep an eye out for it! I'll update my profile with news of it, don't worry.

What I mean with that second playlist is I think that that's the way it'd go (at least the songs, not necessarily the missions/cheers) in the actual game this would be in if it were to be a real game. That would mean only 19 songs—fourteen normal, two final, and three bonus—easiest-to-hardest order, and, during the game, shortened or lengthened parts and possible tempo changes. I had to eliminate the extra (and secret) song(s), the (as yet) fake song, and the most questionable song. I am actually very surprised at how well-balanced it came out (save for the bonus songs). This is, of course, for pretending purposes. The REAL game would have every song, every situation, every team used, everything.

I will consider writing a little, say, "HoloJam Room Chronicles," a pseudo-fic that follows what happens when things go wrong—any 50-/X-induced progress scenes I skipped in the main fic for sake of story flow or (mostly) laziness, the ---(X)--- scenes, the mediocre and all-X endings, and the failure sequences. It is purely for the sake of humor and entertainment and to see if I can actually fulfill my desire to design my own EBA/Ouendan game. If you're interested, please check it out if I do it!

Wow…to think I've come all this way after being inspired from seeing and posting on a make-your-own-stage thread on GameFAQs. I'd like to thank that thread, Nintendo Power for telling me about EBA, Wal*Mart for letting me try the download that I played over and over, regardless of how short it was, YouTube for supplying many of the songs, the many sites I got the lyrics from when available, for giving me a place to show people my writing efforts, ALL OF MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS WHO DESERVE BOXES AND BOXES OF COOKIES *heart*, and, of course, iNiS and Nintendo/GAME FREAK for making such awesome game worlds. Now, then, if anyone from iNiS is reading, GET GOING ON A NEW GAME, ALREADY!! Your fans are feebly writing their own games (not literally, I think)!! I also, if I ever get to be able to play it *glares at computer's inferior graphics card*, osu! for giving me the chance to make my dream a reality, as well as others to play more songs using this awesome game. I WILL make the episodes as faithfully as I can, and will even try to write a program for a squad if need be to provide the full experience, if I get the chance. Customization is my blood. :D I also want to thank Mr. Matsuda Junichi, the guy who's running Pokémon these days, and the words in his interview with NP that gave me my theme to use in the final songs. It fits so well, actually, since the Agents/Ouendan are from the "real world" where, as we know, Pokémon is socially banned among teens. X.X

Thank you again! Now go and read a better fanfic, already!! ;P

See ya!

--FerreTrip

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"...Interesting report."

"What shall we do?"

"Need you ask?" A clipboard, tossed away, lands on the dark, black-tiled floor with a clatter. Attached is what appears to be, for all the world, a DS game card with the words "Insert Game Title Here" in brackets as title, and "Gotta Cheer 'em All!" as subtitle. A few papers are attached, as well. One of the top papers read, "View attached memory card."

"Then when?"

"No later than normal."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Very funny."

"More wrenches may be tossed into our plans..."

"...but it will be worth it."

The clipboard is picked up by a black glove. "I will tell the Bravest Soldier that his are the only ones left."

"Which is what I would do."

"To your work."

"And yours."

...

"...At least we now know that we need not worry about that boy, after all."


End file.
